² “Do you think that you can defend your uprightness
    by claiming that you are just before God?
³ For you said: ‘What does it mean to you?
    Or what would you gain if I sinned?’
⁴ I will provide an answer for you
    and your three friends as well.
⁵ “Look up to the skies and see;
    observe the clouds towering above you.
⁶ If you sin, how can that affect God?
    And if your offenses are multiplied, how do you hurt him?
⁷ If you are righteous, what do you give him?
    What does he receive from your hand?
⁸ Your wickedness affects only someone like you,
    and your righteousness affects only your fellow men.

⁹ “People cry out under the weight of oppression;
    they cry for help against the power of the mighty.
¹⁰ But not one of them asks, ‘Where is God, my Maker,
    who protects me during the night,
¹¹ who gave us greater intelligence than the animals of the earth
    and made us wiser than the birds of the air?’
¹² Although they cry out, God does not answer
    because of the pride of the wicked.
¹³ “But it is foolish to say that God does not hear
    or that the Almighty does not pay attention.
¹⁴ Even though you do not see him,
    he is aware of your plight,
    and you must wait for his decision.
¹⁵ But now, because God does not grow angry and punish
    and because he allows transgressions to go unheeded,
¹⁶ Job gives vent to his anger with empty talk
    and babbles a stream of utter nonsense.”