Job 35
International Children’s Bible
35 Then Elihu said:
2 “Do you think this is fair?
You say, ‘God will show that I am right.’
3 But you say to him, ‘What good is it to me?
I don’t gain anything by not sinning.’
4 “I would like to answer you.
And I want to answer your friends who are with you.
5 Look up at the sky and see.
Look at the clouds so high above you.
6 If you sin, it does nothing to God.
Even if your sins are many, they do nothing to God.
7 If you are good, you give nothing to God.
He receives nothing from your hand.
8 Your evil ways only hurt a man like yourself.
And the good you do only helps other human beings.
9 “People cry out for help when they are in trouble.
They beg for relief from powerful people.
10 But no one asks, ‘Where is God, my Maker?
He gives us songs in the night.
11 He makes us more clever than the animals of the earth.
He makes us wiser than the birds of the air.’
12 God does not answer evil people when they cry for help.
This is because they are too proud.
13 He does not listen to their useless begging.
God All-Powerful pays no attention to them.
14 He will listen to you even less
when you say you do not see him.
He will not listen when you say your case is before him
and you must wait for him.
15 He will not listen when you say his anger never punishes
and that he doesn’t notice evil.
16 So Job is only speaking useless words.
He says many words without knowing what is true.”
Job 35
Common English Bible
Sin’s impact
35 Elihu continued:
2 Do you think it right?
You say, “I’m more just than God.”
3 Yet you ask, “What does it benefit you?
What have I gained by avoiding sin?”
4 I’ll answer you,
and your friends along with you.
5 Look at the heavens and see;
scan the clouds high over you.
6 If you’ve sinned, how have you affected God?
Your offenses have multiplied;
what have you done to him?
7 If you are righteous,
what do you give to him?
Or what does he receive from your hand?
8 Your evil affects others like you,
and your righteousness affects fellow human beings.
9 People cry out because of heavy oppression;
shout under the power 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 beasts of the earth,
makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?”
12 Then they cry out; but he doesn’t answer,
because of the pride of the wicked.
13 God certainly doesn’t respond to a deceitful cry;
the Almighty doesn’t pay attention to it.
14 Although you say that you don’t see him,
the case is before him;
so wait anxiously for him.
15 Even though his anger is now held back,
a person doesn’t know it’s only delayed.[a]
16 So Job mouths emptiness;
he piles up ignorant words.
Footnotes
- Job 35:15 Heb uncertain
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible