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35 Moreover Elihu answered,

“Do you think this to be your right,
    or do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s,’
that you ask, ‘What advantage will it be to you?
    What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’
I will answer you,
    and your companions with you.
Look to the skies, and see.
    See the skies, which are higher than you.
If you have sinned, what effect do you have against him?
    If your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
If you are righteous, what do you give him?
    Or what does he receive from your hand?
Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are,
    and your righteousness may profit a son of man.

“By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out.
    They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.
10 But 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 sky?’
12 There they cry, but no one answers,
    because of the pride of evil men.
13 Surely God will not hear an empty cry,
    neither will the Almighty regard it.
14 How much less when you say you don’t see him.
    The cause is before him, and you wait for him!
15 But now, because he has not visited in his anger,
    neither does he greatly regard arrogance,
16 therefore Job opens his mouth with empty talk,
    and he multiplies words without knowledge.”

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