Job 35

Elihu Reminds Job of God’s Justice ¹Then Elihu said:

²“Do you think it is right for you to claim, ‘I am righteous before God’? ³ For you also ask, ‘What’s in it for me? What’s the use of living a righteous life?’

⁴“I will answer you and all your friends, too. ⁵ Look up into the sky, and see the clouds high above you. ⁶ If you sin, how does that affect God? Even if you sin again and again, what effect will it have on him? ⁷ If you are good, is this some great gift to him? What could you possibly give him? ⁸ No, your sins affect only people like yourself, and your good deeds also affect only humans.

⁹“People cry out when they are oppressed. They groan beneath the power of the mighty. ¹⁰ Yet they don’t ask, ‘Where is God my Creator, the one who gives songs in the night? ¹¹ Where is the one who makes us smarter than the animals and wiser than the birds of the sky?’ ¹² And when they cry out, God does not answer because of their pride. ¹³ But it is wrong to say God doesn’t listen, to say the Almighty isn’t concerned. ¹⁴ You say you can’t see him, but he will bring justice if you will only wait. These verses can also be translated as follows: ¹³Indeed, God doesn’t listen to their empty plea; / the Almighty is not concerned. / ¹⁴How much less will he listen when you say you don’t see him, / and that your case is before him and you’re waiting for justice. ¹⁵ You say he does not respond to sinners with anger and is not greatly concerned about wickedness. As in Greek and Latin versions; the meaning of this Hebrew word is uncertain. ¹⁶ But you are talking nonsense, Job. You have spoken like a fool.”