Job 35
1 Elihu spake moreover, and said,
Then Elihu continued, saying,
2 Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God’s?
“Do you think it's honest to claim you are right before God?
3 For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?
And you ask, ‘What benefit do I get? What good has it done me by not sinning?’
4 I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.
I'll tell you, and your friends too!
5 Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.
Just look up at the sky and see. Observe the clouds high above you.
6 If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?
If you sin, how does that harm God? How do your many sins affect God?
7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?
If you do what's right, what good are you doing for him?
8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.
No—your sins only affect people like yourself, and whatever good you do only affects them too.
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.
People cry out because of terrible persecution; they call for someone to save them from their oppressors.
10 But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;
But no one asks, ‘Where is the God my maker, the one who gives songs in the night,
11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
who teaches us more than the animals, and makes us wiser than the birds?’
12 There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.
When they call out for help, God doesn't answer because they are proud and evil people.
13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
God doesn't listen to their empty cries; the Almighty doesn't pay them any attention.
14 Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.
How much less will God hear you when you say he can't see you? Your case is before him, so you have to wait for him.
15 But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:
You're saying that God doesn't punish people in his anger and pays little attention to sin.
16 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.
You, Job, are talking nonsense, making long speeches when you know nothing!”
