| International Standard Version | New Living Translation |
| 1In response, Elihu said: | 1Then Elihu said: |
| 2"Are you saying that it's just for you to claim, 'I'm more righteous than God?' | 2“Do you think it is right for you to claim, ‘I am righteous before God’? |
| 3After all, you've asked what your benefit will be: 'What will I profit from refraining from sin?' | 3For you also ask, ‘What’s in it for me? What’s the use of living a righteous life?’ |
| 4I'm going to respond to that statement, and to your friends with you." | 4“I will answer you and all your friends, too. |
| 5"Observe the heavens! Take a look around! Look! The clouds are higher than you, aren't they? | 5Look up into the sky, and see the clouds high above you. |
| 6If you sin, what will that do to harm him? If you add transgression to transgression what will it do to him? | 6If you sin, how does that affect God? Even if you sin again and again, what effect will it have on him? |
| 7If you are righteous, what will you add to him? What can God receive from your efforts? | 7If you are good, is this some great gift to him? What could you possibly give him? |
| 8Your wickedness affects only yourself; and your righteousness, only human beings. | 8No, your sins affect only people like yourself, and your good deeds also affect only humans. |
| 9"They cry out because they have many oppressors; they cry for help because the powerful are abusing them. | 9“People cry out when they are oppressed. They groan beneath the power of the mighty. |
| 10He never asks, 'Where is God, my Creator, who gives me songs in the night, | 10Yet they don’t ask, ‘Where is God my Creator, the one who gives songs in the night? |
| 11who teaches us more than the earth's wild animals, and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?' | 11Where is the one who makes us smarter than the animals and wiser than the birds of the sky?’ |
| 12"They cry out there, but he doesn't answer because of the arrogance of those who practice evil. | 12And when they cry out, God does not answer because of their pride. |
| 13Theirs is a useless plea— God won't listen; the Almighty won't pay any attention. | 13But it is wrong to say God doesn’t listen, to say the Almighty isn’t concerned. |
| 14Even 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. | 14You say you can’t see him, but he will bring justice if you will only wait. |
| 15"So now, if he doesn't inflict punishment in his anger, then he doesn't keep track of your many transgressions. | 15You say he does not respond to sinners with anger and is not greatly concerned about wickedness. |
| 16When he began speaking, he communicated only worthlessness; he added words upon words without knowing anything." | 16But you are talking nonsense, Job. You have spoken like a fool.” |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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