Job 35 - New Catholic Bible (NCB)

Elihu’s Third Speech[a]

Chapter 35

How Does Human Conduct Affect God? 1 Then Elihu continued his speech, saying:

2 “Do you think that you can defend your uprightness
by claiming that you are just before God?
3 For you said: ‘What does it mean to you?
Or what would you gain if I sinned?’
4 I will provide an answer for you
and your three friends as well.
5 “Look up to the skies and see;
observe the clouds towering above you.
6 If you sin, how can that affect God?
And if your offenses are multiplied, how do you hurt him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you give him?
What does he receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness affects only someone like you,
and your righteousness affects only your fellow men.

No One Asks, “Where Is God?”

9 “People cry out under the weight of oppression;
they cry for help against the power of the mighty.
10 But not one of them asks, ‘Where is God, my Maker,
who protects me during the night,
11 who gave us greater intelligence than the animals of the earth
and made us wiser than the birds of the air?’
12 Although they cry out, God does not answer
because of the pride of the wicked.
13 “But it is foolish to say that God does not hear
or that the Almighty does not pay attention.
14 Even though you do not see him,
he is aware of your plight,
and you must wait for his decision.
15 But now, because God does not grow angry and punish
and because he allows transgressions to go unheeded,
16 Job gives vent to his anger with empty talk
and babbles a stream of utter nonsense.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 35:1 The silence of God is what upsets human beings. Is the Eternal One perhaps indifferent to human tragedies? Elihu looks for a different explanation: God is silent because unhappy human beings lack faith in their prayers, and they sin through pride. But the entire passage is obscure in its development.

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Job 35 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

35 Therefore Elihu spake again, (and said) these things, 2 Whether thy thought seemeth even, either rightful, to thee, that thou shouldest say, I am right-fuller than God? [I am more rightwise than God?] 3 For thou saidest, That, that is good, pleaseth not thee; either what profiteth it to thee, if ...
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Job 35 - World English Bible (WEB)

35 Moreover Elihu answered, 2 “Do you think this to be your right, or do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s,’3 that you ask, ‘What advantage will it be to you? What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’4 I will answer you, and your companions with you.5 Look to the skies, and se...
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Job 35 - The Voice (VOICE)

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Job 35 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

35 Then Elihu answered, saying: 2 “Do you think this is just?Do you say, ‘My righteousness is greater than God’s?’3 For you ask, ‘What will it profit you?’and ‘What do I gain by not sinning?’4 I will answer you, and your friends with you.5 Look up at the heavens and see; consider the clouds so high ...
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Job 35 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Elihu Condemns Self-Righteousness35 And Eli′hu said: 2 “Do you think this to be just? Do you say, ‘It is my right before God,’3 that you ask, ‘What advantage have I? How am I better off than if I had sinned?’4 I will answer you and your friends with you.5 Look at the heavens, and see; and behold the...
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Job 35 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Elihu Condemns Self-Righteousness35 And Eli′hu said: 2 “Do you think this to be just? Do you say, ‘It is my right before God,’3 that you ask, ‘What advantage have I? How am I better off than if I had sinned?’4 I will answer you and your friends with you.5 Look at the heavens, and see; and behold the...
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Job 35 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Elihu Condemns Self-Righteousness35 Elihu continued and said: 2 “Do you think this to be just? You say, ‘I am in the right before God.’3 If you ask, ‘What advantage have I? How am I better off than if I had sinned?’4 I will answer you and your friends with you.5 Look at the heavens and see; observe ...
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Job 35 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Elihu Condemns Self-Righteousness35 Elihu continued and said: 2 ‘Do you think this to be just? You say, “I am in the right before God.”3 If you ask, “What advantage have I? How am I better off than if I had sinned?”4 I will answer you and your friends with you.5 Look at the heavens and see; observe ...
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Job 35 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Elihu Condemns Self-Righteousness35 Elihu continued and said:2 “Do you think this to be just? You say, ‘I am in the right before God.’(A)3 If you ask, ‘What advantage have I? How am I better off than if I had sinned?’(B)4 I will answer you and your friends with you.5 Look at the heavens and see; obs...
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Job 35 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Elihu Reminds Job of God’s Justice35 Then 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 clo...
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Job 35 - New Life Version (NLV)

Elihu Keeps On Talking35 Then Elihu said, 2 “Do you think this is right? Do you say, ‘I am more right than God’? 3 For you ask, ‘What will You get by it? How will it be better for me than if I had sinned?’ 4 I will answer you, and your friends with you. 5 Look at the heavens and see. See the clo...
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Job 35 - New King James Version (NKJV)

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Job 35 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

35 Then Elihu said: 2 ‘Do you think this is just? You say, “I am in the right, not God.”3 Yet you ask him, “What profit is it to me,[a] and what do I gain by not sinning?” 4 ‘I would like to reply to you and to your friends with you.5 Look up at the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds so high above ...
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Job 35 - New International Version (NIV)

35 Then Elihu said: 2 “Do you think this is just? You say, ‘I am in the right,(A) not God.’(B)3 Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me,[a] and what do I gain by not sinning?’(C) 4 “I would like to reply to you and to your friends with you.5 Look up at the heavens(D) and see; gaze at the clouds so...
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Job 35 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

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Job 35 - New English Translation (NET)

Elihu’s Third Speech[a]35 Then Elihu answered: 2 “Do you think this to be[b] justwhen[c] you say, ‘My right before God’?[d]3 But you say, ‘What will it profit you,’[e]and, ‘What do I gain by not sinning?’[f]4 I[g] will reply to you,[h]and to your friends with you.5 Gaze at the heavens and see;consid...
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