Elihu says that a person's wickedness or righteousness affects other people, not God. People cry out under oppression but do not ask where is God my maker.
1 Elihu spake moreover, and said ,
2 Thinkest thou this to be right , that thou saidst , My righteousness is more than God's ?
3 For thou saidst , What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin ?
4 I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.
5 Look unto the heavens , and see ; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.
6 If thou sinnest , what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied , what doest thou unto him?
7 If thou be righteous , what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand ?
8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man .
9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry : they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty .
10 But none saith , Where is God my maker , who giveth songs in the night ;
11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth , and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven ?
12 There they cry , but none giveth answer , because of the pride of evil men .
13 Surely God will not hear vanity , neither will the Almighty regard it.
14 Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.
15 But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger ; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity :
16 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain ; he multiplieth words without knowledge .