Then Elihu spoke, and said,

Then Elihu raised his voice and said:

Thinkst thou this to be right, that thou dost say, My righteousness is more than God’s?

Do you really consider this valid — your saying: "I am more righteous than G d"?

For thou dost say, What advantage will it be to thee? and, What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?

your saying what good does it [(being upright)] do you, or: "How does [righteousness] avail me more than sinning?"

I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.

I will answer you, and your friends [(who were silent at your words)] along with you.

Look to the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.

Look to the heavens and see, and look to the heights above you [(See how they dwarf you!)]

If thou hast sinned, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions are multiplied, what doest thou for him?

If you sin, what can you do to Him? And if your offenses be many, what do you do to Him?

If thou art righteous, what givest thou him? or what does he receive of thy hand?

If you are righteous, what do you give Him? Or what does He take from your hand?

Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.

Your evil injures [only] one such as you, and [only] the son of man is benefited by your righteousness.

By reason of the multitude of oppressors the oppressed cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.

[Witness the many wicked ones who] because of the abundance of the oppressed ones [(their victims)] cause [men] to cry out [before Him], to cry out because of the arm of the many [(who oppress them)].

But none says, Where is God my maker, who gives songs in the night;

And he [(the wicked one)] did not say [(to place the fear of the L rd before him)]: "Where is the G d that made me, who cuts off [the wicked] at night [e.g., Amrafel and his cohorts, Egypt, and Sancherev],

who teaches us by the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser by the birds of the sky?

who taught us [i.e., who ennobled us] more than the beasts of the earth and made us wiser than the birds of heaven."

There, when they cry he does not answer, because of the pride of evil men.

[And yet,] there they [(the afflicted ones)] cry out because of the pride of the wicked [(their oppressors)].

Surely God will not hear an empty cry, nor will the Almighty regard it.

But it is in vain — G d will not hear [(immediately)]; the Almighty will not see [(immediately, but He withholds His wrath)].

Although thou sayst, Thou wilt not regard it, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust in him.

How much more so [will He not hasten to answer you, who He himself afflicts, and who] says [i.e., who complains] that you do not see Him [(to debate with Him)]! [But], present your case before Him [(wherever He may be)] and hope to Him.

But now, because his anger does not punish, and he does not heed the multitude of the words,

And now, [realize] that this visitation of His wrath [upon you] is nothing [compared to what you deserve], and that He [made Himself] "unknowing" of the great proliferation [of your sins].

therefore does Iyyov open his mouth in vain, and multiplies words without knowledge.

And Iyyov has opened his mouth in vanity. Without knowledge has he multiplied words.