Job 35

1 Then commenced Elihu, and said,

Then Elihu also said this:

2 Dost thou deem this to be just, that thou hast said, “My righteousness is more than God's?”

“[Job, ] do you think that what you said is right/correct? You say, ‘God knows that I am innocent,’

3 For thou sayest, “What benefit will it be unto thee? what more profit shall I have, than if I had sinned?”

and you say [to God], ‘What good have I received for not sinning? What benefit have I received from that?’ [DOU, RHQ]

4 I will truly reply unto thee with words, and unto thy friends with thee.

[Well, ] I will answer you, and I will answer your three friends, too.

5 Look unto the heavens, and see; and gaze on the skies which are higher than thou.

“[Job], look up at the sky; look at the clouds that are high above you and realize [that God is far above everything].

6 If thou sin, what dost thou effect against him? and if thy transgressions be multiplied, what canst thou do unto him?

If you have sinned, that does not [RHQ] harm God at all. If many times you do things that are wrong, that certainly does not [RHQ] affect him [DOU].

7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what doth he accept out of thy hand?

And if you are righteous, does that help God? No, he is not benefited by anything that you do [DOU].

8 A man like thyself thy wickedness may reach, and a son of earth thy righteousness.

It is other people who suffer because of the wicked things that you do, but by doing good things for people, you help them.

9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions [the wicked] cause men to cry: these complain aloud because of the arm of the mighty.

“People cry out because of the many things that people do to others to (oppress them/treat them cruelly); they call for help because of the things that powerful people do [MTY] to them.

10 But [man] saith not, Where is God my maker, who bestoweth joyful songs even in the night;

But (no one/none of them) calls out [to God], saying ‘Why does God, my creator, [not help me]? He [should] enable me to sing [joyful] songs, [instead of very sad songs, ] during the night.

11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of the heavens?

He [should be able to] teach us more than all the wild animals do; he [should] enable us to become wiser than [all] the birds are!’

12 There do they cry, but he answereth not: because of the pride of evil men.

People cry out [for help], but God does not answer them, because those who cry out are proud and evil people.

13 Only what is false will God not hear, nor will the Almighty regard it.

It is useless for them to cry out, because God, the Almighty One, does not pay any attention to what they say.

14 Although thou sayest, thou canst not see him: yet the decision is before him; and do thou wait for him.

So, when you complain that you cannot see God, and you tell him that you are waiting for him [to decide whether or not you should be punished for what you have done], God will not listen to you, either!

15 But now, because his anger hath punished nothing, shall he not greatly take cognizance of the multitude of sins?

Furthermore, [you say that] because he does not pay attention when people commit sins, he does not become angry and punish them.

16 But Job openeth wide his mouth for nought: without knowledge he heapeth up words.

You say things that are useless; you say a lot of things without knowing [what you are talking about].”