New International Version NIV
New King James Version NKJV
1 Then Elihu said:
1
Moreover Elihu answered and said:
2 “Do you think this is just? You say, ‘I am in the right, not God.’
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"Do you think this is right? Do you say, 'My righteousness is more than God's'?
3 Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me,and what do I gain by not sinning?’
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For you say, 'What advantage will it be to You? What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?'
4 “I would like to reply to you and to your friends with you.
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"I will answer you, And your companions with you.
5 Look up at the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds so high above you.
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Look to the heavens and see; And behold the clouds-- They are higher than you.
6 If you sin, how does that affect him? If your sins are many, what does that do to him?
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If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him? Or, if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand?
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If you are righteous, what do you give Him? Or what does He receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself, and your righteousness only other people.
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Your wickedness affects a man such as you, And your righteousness a son of man.
9 “People cry out under a load of oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.
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"Because of the multitude of oppressions they cry out; They cry out for help because of the arm of the mighty.
10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night,
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But no one says, 'Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs in the night,
11 who teaches us more than he teaches the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?’
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Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, And makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?'
12 He does not answer when people cry out because of the arrogance of the wicked.
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There they cry out, but He does not answer, Because of the pride of evil men.
13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea; the Almighty pays no attention to it.
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Surely God will not listen to empty talk, Nor will the Almighty regard it.
14 How much less, then, will he listen when you say that you do not see him, that your case is before him and you must wait for him,
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Although you say you do not see Him, Yet justice is before Him, and you must wait for Him.
15 and further, that his anger never punishes and he does not take the least notice of wickedness.
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And now, because He has not punished in His anger, Nor taken much notice of folly,
16 So Job opens his mouth with empty talk; without knowledge he multiplies words.”
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Therefore Job opens his mouth in vain; He multiplies words without knowledge."
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.