Job 35

1 Then Elihu also said this:

And Elihu went on to say:

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

“Do you think this is just? You say, ‘I am more righteous than God.’

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

For you ask, ‘What does it profit me, and what benefit do I gain apart from sin?’

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

I will reply to you and to your friends as well.

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

Look to the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds high above you.

6 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].

If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him? If you multiply your transgressions, what do you do to Him?

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

If you are righteous, what do you give Him, or what does He receive from your hand?

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

Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself, and your righteousness only a son of man.

9 “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.

Men cry out under great oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the mighty.

10 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.

But no one asks, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives us songs in the night,

11 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!’

who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?’

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

There they cry out, but He does not answer, because of the pride of evil men.

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

Surely God does not listen to empty pleas, and the Almighty does not take note of it.

14 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!

How much less, then, when you say that you do not see Him, that your case is before Him and you must wait for Him,

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

and further, that in His anger He has not punished or taken much notice of folly!

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

So Job opens his mouth in vain and multiplies words without knowledge.”