¹Moreover Elihu answered,

• ²“Do you think this to be your right,
• or do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s,’

• ³That you ask, ‘What advantage will it be to you?
• What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?’

• ⁴I will answer you,
• and your companions with you.

• ⁵Look to the heavens, and see.
• See the skies, which are higher than you.

• ⁶If you have sinned, what effect do you have against him?
• If your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?

• ⁷If you are righteous, what do you give him?
• Or what does he receive from your hand?

• ⁸Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are,
• and your righteousness may profit a son of man.

• ⁹“By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out.
• They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.

• ¹⁰But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
• who gives songs in the night,

• ¹¹who teaches us more than the animals of the earth,
• and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’

• ¹²There they cry, but none gives answer,
• because of the pride of evil men.

• ¹³Surely God will not hear an empty cry,
• neither will the Almighty regard it.

• ¹⁴How much less when you say you don’t see him.
• The cause is before him, and you wait for him!

• ¹⁵But now, because he has not visited in his anger,
• neither does he greatly regard arrogance.

• ¹⁶Therefore Job opens his mouth with empty talk,
• and he multiplies words without knowledge.”