Job 34:29-35:16

New International Version

²⁹ But if he remains silent,^(A) who can condemn him?^(B)
    If he hides his face,^(C) who can see him?
Yet he is over individual and nation alike,^(D)
30     to keep the godless^(E) from ruling,^(F)
    from laying snares for the people.^(G)

³¹ “Suppose someone says to God,
    ‘I am guilty^(H) but will offend no more.
³² Teach me what I cannot see;^(I)
    if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’^(J)
33 Should God then reward you on your terms,
    when you refuse to repent?^(K)
You must decide, not I;
    so tell me what you know.

³⁴ “Men of understanding declare,
    wise men who hear me say to me,
³⁵ ‘Job speaks without knowledge;^(L)
    his words lack insight.’^(M)
36 Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost
    for answering like a wicked man!^(N)
37 To his sin he adds rebellion;
    scornfully he claps his hands^(O) among us
    and multiplies his words^(P) against God.”^(Q)

² “Do you think this is just?
    You say, ‘I am in the right,^(R) not God.’^(S)
3 Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me,^[a]
    and what do I gain by not sinning?’^(T)

⁴ “I would like to reply to you
    and to your friends with you.
⁵ Look up at the heavens^(U) and see;
    gaze at the clouds so high above you.^(V)
6 If you sin, how does that affect him?
    If your sins are many, what does that do to him?^(W)
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him,^(X)
    or what does he receive^(Y) from your hand?^(Z)
8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself,^(AA)
    and your righteousness only other people.^(AB)

⁹ “People cry out^(AC) under a load of oppression;^(AD)
    they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.^(AE)
10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,^(AF)
    who gives songs^(AG) in the night,^(AH)
11 who teaches^(AI) us^(AJ) more than he teaches^[b] the beasts of the earth
    and makes us wiser than^[c] the birds in the sky?’
¹² He does not answer^(AK) when people cry out
    because of the arrogance^(AL) of the wicked.^(AM)
13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;
    the Almighty pays no attention to it.^(AN)
14 How much less, then, will he listen
    when you say that you do not see him,^(AO)
that your case^(AP) is before him
    and you must wait for him,^(AQ)
15 and further, that his anger never punishes^(AR)
    and he does not take the least notice of wickedness.^[d](AS)
16 So Job opens his mouth with empty talk;^(AT)
    without knowledge he multiplies words.”^(AU)