Job 35
1 Moreover Elihu proceeded, and said:
Then Elihu also said this:
2 Dost thou then think this to be right? Thou hast said, “I am more righteous than God.”
“[Job, ] do you think that what you said is right/correct? You say, ‘God knows that I am innocent,’
3 For thou askest, “What advantage have I? What have I gained, more 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 answer thee, And thy companions with thee.
[Well, ] I will answer you, and I will answer your three friends, too.
5 Look up to the heavens, and see! And behold the clouds, which are high above thee!
“[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 sinnest, what doest thou against Him? If thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou to 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 art righteous, what dost thou give him? Or what receiveth he at thy hand?
And if you are righteous, does that help God? No, he is not benefited by anything that you do [DOU].
8 Thy wickedness injureth only a man like thyself, And thy righteousness profiteth only a son of man.
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 The oppressed cry out on account of the multitude of wrongs; They cry aloud on account 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 none saith, “Where is God, my Maker, Who giveth songs 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 birds of heaven?”
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 they cry aloud on account of the pride of the wicked; But he giveth no answer.
People cry out [for help], but God does not answer them, because those who cry out are proud and evil people.
13 For God will not hear the vain supplication, 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 Much less when thou sayest thou canst not see him: Justice is with him, —only wait thou 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 he hath not visited in his anger, Nor taken strict note of transgression,
Furthermore, [you say that] because he does not pay attention when people commit sins, he does not become angry and punish them.
16 Therefore hath Job opened his mouth rashly, And multiplied words without knowledge.
You say things that are useless; you say a lot of things without knowing [what you are talking about].”
