Job 35
1 Elihu spoke moreover, and said,
Then Elihu continued, saying,
2 Think you this to be right, that you said, My righteousness is more than God's?
“Do you think it's honest to claim you are right before God?
3 For you said, What advantage will it be unto you? 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 you, and your companions with you.
I'll tell you, and your friends too!
5 Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than you.
Just look up at the sky and see. Observe the clouds high above you.
6 If you sin, what do you against him? or if your transgressions be multiplied, what do you unto him?
If you sin, how does that harm God? How do your many sins affect God?
7 If you be righteous, what give you him? or what receives he of your hand?
If you do what's right, what good are you doing for him?
8 Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are; and your 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 says, Where is God my maker, who gives songs in the night;
But no one asks, ‘Where is the God my maker, the one who gives songs in the night,
11 Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, and makes 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 gives 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 you say you shall not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust you 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 has visited in his anger; yet he knows 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 does Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplies words without knowledge.
You, Job, are talking nonsense, making long speeches when you know nothing!”
