Elihu Condemns Job

¹ Moreover,¹ Elihu ⌞spoke up⌟² and said,

1. Hebrew “And”
2. Literally “answered”; see NET

² “Do you think this is justice when you say, ‘⌞I am right⌟¹ before God’?

1. Literally “My righteousness”

³ If you ask what it profits you: ‘How do I benefit ⌞by refraining from my sin⌟?’¹

1. Literally “from my sin”

⁴ I myself¹ ⌞will give answer to you⌟² and to your friends with you.

1. Emphatic personal pronoun
2. Literally “will return you words”

⁵ “Look at the heavens, and see; and observe the clouds that are higher than you.

⁶ If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him? And 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?

⁸ Your wickedness affects a person like yourself, and your righteousness affects humans.

⁹ “Because of the multitude of oppressions, they cry out; they cry for help because of the arm of the mighty.

¹⁰ But¹ no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night,

1. Hebrew “And”

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

¹² There they cry out, but¹ he does not answer ⌞because of the pride of evildoers⌟.²

1. Hebrew “and”
2. Literally “from the face of the pride of evildoers”

¹³ “Surely God does not hear an empty plea, and Shaddai does not regard it.

¹⁴ ⌞How much less⌟¹ when you say that you do not see him, that the case is ⌞before him⌟,² and you are waiting for him!

1. Literally “Also for”
2. Literally “to the face of him”

¹⁵ But¹ now, because his anger does not punish, and he does not acknowledge the transgression at all,

1. Hebrew “And”

¹⁶ ⌞therefore⌟¹ Job opens his mouth in empty talk— without knowledge he multiplies words.”

1. Hebrew “and,” or “so”