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35 Moreover Eliu spoke these words:

Doth thy thought seem right to thee, that thou shouldst say: I am more just than God?

For thou saidst: That which is right doth not please thee: or what will it profit thee if I sin?

Therefore I will answer thy words, and thy friends with thee.

Look up to heaven and see, and behold the sky, that it is higher than thee.

If thou sin, what shalt thou hurt him? and if thy iniquities be multiplied, what shalt thou do against him?

And if thou do justly, what shalt thou give him, or what shall he receive of thy hand?

Thy wickedness may hurt a man that is like thee: and thy justice may help the son of man.

By reason of the multitude of oppressions they shall cry out: and shall wail for the violence of the arm of tyrants.

10 And he hath not said: Where is God, who made me, who hath given songs in the night?

11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and instructeth us more than the fowls of the air.

12 There shall they cry, and he will not hear, because of the pride of evil men.

13 God therefore will not hear in vain, and the Almighty will look into the causes of every one.

14 Yea when thou shalt say: He considereth not: be judged before him, and expect him.

15 For he doth not now bring on his fury, neither doth he revenge wickedness exceedingly.

16 Therefore Job openeth his mouth in vain, and multiplieth words without knowledge.

35 Then Elihu said:

“Do you think this is just?
    You say, ‘I am in the right,(A) not God.’(B)
Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me,[a]
    and what do I gain by not sinning?’(C)

“I would like to reply to you
    and to your friends with you.
Look up at the heavens(D) and see;
    gaze at the clouds so high above you.(E)
If you sin, how does that affect him?
    If your sins are many, what does that do to him?(F)
If you are righteous, what do you give to him,(G)
    or what does he receive(H) from your hand?(I)
Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself,(J)
    and your righteousness only other people.(K)

“People cry out(L) under a load of oppression;(M)
    they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.(N)
10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,(O)
    who gives songs(P) in the night,(Q)
11 who teaches(R) us(S) more than he teaches[b] the beasts of the earth
    and makes us wiser than[c] the birds in the sky?’
12 He does not answer(T) when people cry out
    because of the arrogance(U) of the wicked.(V)
13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;
    the Almighty pays no attention to it.(W)
14 How much less, then, will he listen
    when you say that you do not see him,(X)
that your case(Y) is before him
    and you must wait for him,(Z)
15 and further, that his anger never punishes(AA)
    and he does not take the least notice of wickedness.[d](AB)
16 So Job opens his mouth with empty talk;(AC)
    without knowledge he multiplies words.”(AD)

Footnotes

  1. Job 35:3 Or you
  2. Job 35:11 Or night, / 11 who teaches us by
  3. Job 35:11 Or us wise by
  4. Job 35:15 Symmachus, Theodotion and Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.