Elihu Condemns Job
2 Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's?
2 Do you think it is just when you say,“I am righteous before God”?
2 "Are you saying that it's just for you to claim, "I'm more righteous than God?'
2 “Do you think this is according to [your] justice?Do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?
3 For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?
3 “For you say, ‘(B)What advantage will it be to (a)You?(C)What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’
3 After all, you've asked what your benefit will be: "What will I profit from refraining from sin?'
3 “For you say, ‘What advantage have you [by living a righteous life]?What profit will I have, more [by being righteous] than if I had sinned?’
Human Behavior Cannot Change God
5 Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.
5 Look at the heavens and see;gaze at the clouds high above you.
5 "Observe the heavens! Take a look around! Look! The clouds are higher than you, aren't they?
5 “Look to the heavens and see;And behold the skies which are [much] higher than you.
6 If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?
6 “If you have sinned, (F)what do you accomplish against Him?And if your transgressions are many, what do you do to Him?
6 If you sin, how does it affect God?If you multiply your transgressions, what does it do to Him?
6 If you sin, what will that do to harm him? If you add transgression to transgression what will it do to him?
6 “If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him?And if your transgressions are multiplied, what have you done to Him?
8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.
8 “Your wickedness is for a man like yourself,And your righteousness is for a son of man.
8 Your wickedness affects a person like yourself,and your righteousness another human being.
8 Your wickedness affects only yourself; and your righteousness, only human beings.
9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
9 “Because of the (H)multitude of oppressions they cry out;They cry for help because of the arm (I)of the mighty.
9 People cry out because of severe oppression;they shout for help because of the arm of the mighty.(C)
9 "They cry out because they have many oppressors; they cry for help because the powerful are abusing them.
9 “Because of the multitudes of oppressions the people cry out;They cry for help because of the [violent] arm of the mighty.
11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
11 Who (L)teaches us more than the beasts of the earthAnd makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’
11 who gives us more understanding than the animals of the earthand makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?”(F)
11 who teaches us more than the earth's wild animals, and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?'
11 Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earthAnd makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’
13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
13 Indeed, God does not listen to empty cries,and the Almighty does not take note of it—
13 Theirs is a useless plea God won't listen; the Almighty won't pay any attention.
13 “Surely God will not listen to an empty cry [which lacks trust],Nor will the Almighty regard it.
14 Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.
14 “How much less when (O)you say you do not behold Him,The (P)case is before Him, and you must wait for Him!
14 how much less when(b) you complain(c)that you do not see Him,that your case(H) is before Himand you are waiting(I) for Him.
14 Even though you complain that you can't perceive him, your case is already pending for judgment in his presence so keep on placing your hope in him.
14 “Even though you say that you do not see Him [when missing His righteous judgment on earth],Yet your case is before Him, and you must wait for Him!
15 But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:
15 "So now, if he doesn't inflict punishment in his anger, then he doesn't keep track of your many transgressions.
15 “And now, because He has not [quickly] punished in His anger,Nor has He acknowledged transgression and arrogance well [and seems unaware of the wrong of which a person is guilty],
16 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.
16 When he began speaking, he communicated only worthlessness; he added words upon words without knowing anything."
16 Job uselessly opens his mouthAnd multiplies words without knowledge [drawing the worthless conclusion that the righteous have no more advantage than the wicked].”