Would you indeed annul my justice? Would you declare me guilty so that you might be right?

“Is a mortal man righteous before God? Or a man pure before his Creator?

Although I am innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my judge for mercy.

Although I am innocent, my mouth would condemn me; although I am blameless, it would declare me perverse.

“Should not this abundance of words be answered, or should this talkative man be vindicated?

See now, I have prepared my case; I know that I am right.

What is man that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?

If you have any words, reply to me; speak, for I want to justify you.

For Job says, ‘I am innocent, but God turns away my right.

“Truly, I know that this is so. But how can a human be just before God?

If I am guilty, woe to me, and if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head; I am full of shame, and satiated with my affliction.

Is it of any special benefit to the Almighty that you should be righteous, or is it any gain to him that you make your ways blameless?

How then can a human being be righteous before God? How can one born of a woman be pure?

I will never declare that you three are in the right; until I die, I will not set aside my integrity!

Now in this, you are not right – I answer you, for God is greater than a human being.

If you are righteous, what do you give to God, or what does he receive from your hand?

Then Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry. He was angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God.