1And Elihu answered and said,

2"Do you think this to be right, you that say, 'My righteousness is more than God's'?

3For you say, 'What advantage will it be to You? What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?'

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

5Look to the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds; they are higher than you.

6If you sin, what do you do against Him? Or 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 like yourself; and your righteousness may profit the son of man.

9By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out; they cry out because of the powerful 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 heaven?'

12There they cry, but He gives no answer, because of the pride of evildoers.

13Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

14How much less when you say you do not see Him! The cause is before Him; you must wait for Him.

15And now because it is not so, He has visited in anger yet he does not understand even his great extremity.

16Therefore does Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplies his words without knowledge."