Job 35

1 Then Elihu also said this:

And Elius resumed and said,

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

What is this that you think to be according to right? who are you that you have said, I am righteous before the Lord?

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

I will answer you, and your three friends.

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

Look up to the sky and see; and consider the clouds, how high [they are] above you.

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

If you have sinned, what will you do?

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].

and if too you have transgressed much, what can you perform?

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

And suppose you are righteous, what will you give him? or what shall he receive of 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 ungodliness [may affect] a man who is like to you; or your righteousness 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.

They that are oppressed of a multitude will be ready to cry out; they will call for help because of the arm of many.

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 none said, Where is God that made me, who appoints the night-watches;

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 makes me to differ from the four-footed beasts of the earth, and from the birds of the sky?

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

There they shall cry, and none shall listen, even because of the insolence of wicked men.

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

For the Lord desires not to look on error, for he is the Almighty One.

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!

He beholds them that perform lawless deeds, and he will save me: and do you plead before him, if you can praise him, as it is [possible] even now.

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

For he is not [now] regarding his wrath, nor has he noticed severely any trespass.

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

Yet Job vainly opens his mouth, in ignorance he multiplies words.