Job 35

1 Then Elihu continued, saying:

2 Do you think it is just when you say,
“I am righteous before God”?
3 For you ask, “What does it profit You, ^{▼▼Some emend to me}
and what benefit comes to me, if I do not sin?” ^b
4 I will answer you
and your friends with you.
5 Look at the heavens and see;
gaze at the clouds high above you.
6 If you sin, how does it affect God?
If you multiply your transgressions, what does it do to Him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you give Him,
or what does He receive from your hand? ^c
8 Your wickedness affects a person like yourself,
and your righteousness another human being.
9 People cry out because of severe oppression;
they shout for help because of the arm of the mighty. ^d
10 But no one asks, “Where is God my Maker, ^e
who provides us with songs in the night, ^f
11 who gives us more understanding than the animals of the earth
and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?” ^g
12 There they cry out, but He does not answer,
because of the pride of evil men. ^h
13 Indeed, God does not listen to empty cries,
and the ^{▼▼God Almighty: The Hebrew word is El Shaddai; El = "God," but the meaning of Shaddai is disputed; traditionally it is translated "Almighty".}Almighty does not take note of it –
14 how much less when ^{▼▼Or How then can} you complain ^{▼▼Lit say}
that you do not see Him,
that your case ^l is before Him
and you are waiting ^m for Him.
15 But now, because God’s anger does not punish
and He does not pay attention to transgression, ^{▼▼LXX, Vg; MT reads folly, or arrogance; Hb obscure}
16 Job opens his mouth in vain
and multiplies words without knowledge. ^o