Job 35

¹Then Elihu continued, saying:

²Do you think it is just when you say,

“I am righteous before God”?

³For you ask, “What does it profit you, ^a

and what benefit comes to me, if I do not sin? ” ^b

⁴I will answer you

and your friends with you.

⁵Look at the heavens and see;

gaze at the clouds high above you.

⁶If you sin, how does it affect God?

If you multiply your transgressions, what does it do to him?

⁷If you are righteous, what do you give him,

or what does he receive from your hand? ^c

⁸Your wickedness affects a person like yourself,

and your righteousness, a son of man. ^d

⁹People cry out because of severe oppression;

they shout for help because of the power of the mighty. ^e

¹⁰But no one asks, “Where is God my Maker, ^f

who provides us with songs in the night, ^g

¹¹who gives us more understanding than the animals of the earth

and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky? ” ^h

¹²There they cry out, but he does not answer,

because of the pride of evil people. ⁱ

¹³Indeed, God does not listen to empty cries,

and the Almighty does not take note of it —

¹⁴how much less when ^j you complain ^k

that you do not see him,

that your case ^l is before him

and you are waiting ^m for him.

¹⁵But now, because God’s anger does not punish

and he does not pay attention to transgression, ⁿ

¹⁶Job opens his mouth in vain

and multiplies words without knowledge. ^o