Job
Chapter 35
Elihu keeps speaking and answers Job's complaint that living right brings no reward. He argues that human sin and human goodness do not add anything to God or take anything from him; they affect other people instead. He says crushed people cry out without turning to their Maker, and that God does not answer empty cries. He ends by saying Job is piling up words he does not understand.
Plain reading written for preteens. Clear and complete, at about a fifth grade reading level.
Elihu spake moreover, and said,
1Elihu went on speaking. He said:
2Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God’s?
2Do you think this is right? You have said, "I am more in the right than God is."
3For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?
3You also asked, "What good does it do me? What do I gain by staying free from sin?"
4I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.
4I will give you an answer, and I will answer your friends here with you.
5Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.
5Look up at the sky and see it. Look at the clouds, so far above you.
6If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?
6If you sin, what does that do to God? If you sin again and again, how does that touch him?
7If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?
7If you live right, what have you given him? What does he receive from your hand?
8Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.
8Your wrongdoing hurts other people like you. Your good living helps other people too.
9By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
9People are crushed by heavy loads placed on them, so they cry out. They beg for help because strong men press them down.
10But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;
10But no one asks, "Where is God who made me? He is the one who gives songs in the night.
11Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
11He teaches us more than he teaches the animals. He makes us wiser than the birds of the sky."
12There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.
12So they cry out there, and no answer comes, because evil men are so proud.
13Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
13God will not listen to an empty cry. The Almighty pays no attention to it.
"Vanity" in the KJV here means an empty cry, words with nothing real behind them. It does not mean being vain about your looks.
14Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.
14You say you cannot see him. But your case is already before him, so wait for him.
15But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:
15And now you say that God has not punished in his anger, and that he takes little notice of wrong.
16Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.
16So Job opens his mouth for nothing. He piles up words without knowing what he is saying.
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