Job 35

1 Then Elihu also said this:

Then Elihu continued, saying,

2 “[Job, ] do you think that what you said is right/correct? You say, ‘God knows that I am innocent,’

“Do you think it's honest to claim you are right before God?

3 and you say [to God], ‘What good have I received for not sinning? What benefit have I received from that?’ [DOU, RHQ]

And you ask, ‘What benefit do I get? What good has it done me by not sinning?’

4 [Well, ] I will answer you, and I will answer your three friends, too.

I'll tell you, and your friends too!

5 “[Job], look up at the sky; look at the clouds that are high above you and realize [that God is far above everything].

Just look up at the sky and see. Observe the clouds high above you.

6 If you have sinned, that does not [RHQ] harm God at all. If many times you do things that are wrong, that certainly does not [RHQ] affect him [DOU].

If you sin, how does that harm God? How do your many sins affect God?

7 And if you are righteous, does that help God? No, he is not benefited by anything that you do [DOU].

If you do what's right, what good are you doing for him?

8 It is other people who suffer because of the wicked things that you do, but by doing good things for people, you help them.

No—your sins only affect people like yourself, and whatever good you do only affects them too.

9 “People cry out because of the many things that people do to others to (oppress them/treat them cruelly); they call for help because of the things that powerful people do [MTY] to them.

People cry out because of terrible persecution; they call for someone to save them from their oppressors.

10 But (no one/none of them) calls out [to God], saying ‘Why does God, my creator, [not help me]? He [should] enable me to sing [joyful] songs, [instead of very sad songs, ] during the night.

But no one asks, ‘Where is the God my maker, the one who gives songs in the night,

11 He [should be able to] teach us more than all the wild animals do; he [should] enable us to become wiser than [all] the birds are!’

who teaches us more than the animals, and makes us wiser than the birds?’

12 People cry out [for help], but God does not answer them, because those who cry out are proud and evil people.

When they call out for help, God doesn't answer because they are proud and evil people.

13 It is useless for them to cry out, because God, the Almighty One, does not pay any attention to what they say.

God doesn't listen to their empty cries; the Almighty doesn't pay them any attention.

14 So, when you complain that you cannot see God, and you tell him that you are waiting for him [to decide whether or not you should be punished for what you have done], God will not listen to you, either!

How much less will God hear you when you say he can't see you? Your case is before him, so you have to wait for him.

15 Furthermore, [you say that] because he does not pay attention when people commit sins, he does not become angry and punish them.

You're saying that God doesn't punish people in his anger and pays little attention to sin.

16 You say things that are useless; you say a lot of things without knowing [what you are talking about].”

You, Job, are talking nonsense, making long speeches when you know nothing!”