² “Do you think this is right?
Do you say,
‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?
³ For ^(A)you say,
‘What advantage will it be to You?
What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?’

⁴ “I will answer you,
And ^(B)your companions with you.
^5 (C)Look to the heavens and see;
And behold the clouds—
They are higher than you.
⁶ If you sin, what do you accomplish ^(D)against Him?
Or, if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him?
^7 (E)If you are righteous, what do you give Him?
Or what does He receive from your hand?
⁸ Your wickedness affects a man such as you,
And your righteousness a son of man.

⁹ “Because^(F) 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, ^(G)‘Where is God my Maker,
^(H)Who gives songs in the night,
¹¹ Who ^(I)teaches us more than the beasts of the earth,
And makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?’
^12 (J)There they cry out, but He does not answer,
Because of the pride of evil men.
^13 (K)Surely God will not listen to empty talk,
Nor will the Almighty regard it.
^14 (L)Although you say you do not see Him,
Yet justice is before Him, and ^(M)you must wait for Him.
¹⁵ And now, because He has not ^(N)punished in His anger,
Nor taken much notice of folly,
^16 (O)Therefore Job opens his mouth in vain;
He multiplies words without knowledge.”