Job Chapter 35
1 Elihu continued:
2 “Do you think it’s righteous
for you to say you’re upright before God?
3 You say, ‘What advantage will I have?
What benefit will I get more than if I’d sinned?’
4 I’ll answer you and your friends.
5 Look at the sky;
the clouds are higher than you are.
6 If you’ve sinned, what do you gain against God?
if you have lots of sins, what harm are you doing to him?
7 If you’re good, what good are you doing for him?
What good does he get out of you?
8 Your goodness is for other people like you.
Job 35:1-8
9 “They cry out because they’re oppressed;
they call for help against powerful people.
10 But nobody says, ‘Where’s God my Maker,
who gives songs at night,
11 who teaches us more than the animals on the ground
and makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?’
12 There bad people call out, but he doesn’t answer
because they’re arrogant.
13 Indeed, God will ignore empty cries;
the Almighty doesn’t pay any attention to them.
14 How much less when you say you don’t see him;
he has your case,
but you’re having to wait for him to give notice!
15 Now, since he hasn’t visited in his anger
and acknowledged sin enough,
16 you open your mouth with empty talk, Job,
not knowing what you’re talking about.”
Job 35:9-16