Job 35

35TH CHAPTER

Elihu Continues: I Will Answer You and Your Friends, Job

¹Elihu continued to speak ⸤to Job and his friends⸥, 

²“Do you think this is right 

when you say, ‘My case is more just than God’s,’ 

³when you ask, ‘What benefit is it to you?’ 

and, ‘What would I gain by sinning?’ 

⁴I will answer you and your friends. 

Human Behavior Cannot Change God

⁵“Look at the heavens and see. 

Observe the clouds high above you. 

⁶If you’ve sinned, what effect can you have on God? 

If you’ve done many wrongs, what can you do to him? 

⁷If you’re righteous, what can you give him, 

or what can he get from you? 

⁸Your wickedness affects only someone like yourself. 

Your righteousness affects only the descendants of Adam. 

⁹The weight of oppression makes them cry out. 

The power of mighty people makes them call for help. 

¹⁰But no one asks, 

‘Where is God, my Creator, 

who inspires songs in the night, 

¹¹who teaches us more than he teaches the animals of the earth, 

who makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?’ 

¹²Then they cry out, but he doesn’t answer them 

because of the arrogance of ⸤those⸥ evil people. 

¹³“Surely, God doesn’t listen to idle complaints. 

The Almighty doesn’t even pay attention to them. 

¹⁴Although you say that you pay attention to him, 

your case is in front of him, but you’ll have to wait for him. 

¹⁵And now ⸤you say⸥ that his anger doesn’t punish ⸤anyone⸥ 

and he isn’t too concerned about evil. 

¹⁶Job opens his mouth for no good reason 

and talks a lot without having any knowledge.”