35 Then Elihu continued, saying:

Do you think it is just when you say,
“I am righteous before God”?
For you ask, “What does it profit you,[a]
and what benefit comes to me, if I do not sin?” (A)
I will answer you
and your friends with you.
Look at the heavens and see;
gaze at the clouds high above you.
If you sin, how does it affect God?
If you multiply your transgressions, what does it do to him?
If you are righteous, what do you give him,
or what does he receive from your hand?(B)
Your wickedness affects a person like yourself,
and your righteousness, a son of man.[b]
People cry out because of severe oppression;
they shout for help because of the power of the mighty.(C)
10 But no one asks, “Where is God my Maker,(D)
who provides us with songs in the night,(E)
11 who gives us more understanding than the animals of the earth
and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?” (F)
12 There they cry out, but he does not answer,
because of the pride of evil people.(G)
13 Indeed, God does not listen to empty cries,
and the Almighty does not take note of it—
14 how much less when[c] you complain[d]
that you do not see him,
that your case(H) is before him
and you are waiting(I) for him.
15 But now, because God’s anger does not punish
and he does not pay attention to transgression,[e]
16 Job opens his mouth in vain
and multiplies words without knowledge.(J)

Footnotes

  1. 35:3 Some emend to me
  2. 35:8 Or a mere mortal
  3. 35:14 Or how then can
  4. 35:14 Lit say
  5. 35:15 LXX, Vg; MT reads folly, or arrogance; Hb obscure

Elihu Condemns Job

35 Moreover,[a] Elihu spoke up[b] and said,

“Do you think this is justice when you say,
I am right[c] before God’?
If you ask what it profits you:
‘How do I benefit by refraining from my sin?’[d]
I myself[e] will give answer to you[f]
and to your friends with you.
“Look at the heavens, and see;
and observe the clouds that are higher than you.
If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?
And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
If you are righteous, what do you give to him,
or what does he receive from your hand?
Your wickedness affects a person like yourself,
and your righteousness affects humans.
“Because of the multitude of oppressions, they cry out;
they cry for help because of the arm of the mighty.
10 But[g] no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
who gives songs in the night,
11 who teaches us more than the animals of the earth
and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’
12 There they cry out, but[h] he does not answer
because of the pride of evildoers.[i]
13 “Surely God does not hear an empty plea,
and Shaddai does not regard it.
14 How much less[j] when you say that you do not see him,
that the case is before him,[k] and you are waiting for him!
15 But[l] now, because his anger does not punish,
and he does not acknowledge the transgression at all,
16 therefore[m] Job opens his mouth in empty talk—
without knowledge he multiplies words.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 35:1 Hebrew “And”
  2. Job 35:1 Literally “answered”; see NET
  3. Job 35:2 Literally “My righteousness”
  4. Job 35:3 Literally “from my sin”
  5. Job 35:4 Emphatic personal pronoun
  6. Job 35:4 Literally “will return you words”
  7. Job 35:10 Hebrew “And”
  8. Job 35:12 Hebrew “and”
  9. Job 35:12 Literally “from the face of the pride of evildoers”
  10. Job 35:14 Literally “Also for”
  11. Job 35:14 Literally “to the face of him”
  12. Job 35:15 Hebrew “And”
  13. Job 35:16 Hebrew “and,” or “so”