Job 35 Contemporary English Version

Elihu Continues

Are You Really Innocent?

35 Elihu said:
²Job, are you really innocent
    in the sight of God?^[a]
³Don't you honestly believe
    it pays to obey him?
⁴I will give the answers
    to you and your friends.
* ⁵Look up to the heavens
⁶    ^(A) and think!
Do your sins hurt God?
⁷Is any good you may have done
    at all helpful to him?
⁸The evil or good you do
    only affects other humans.

⁹In times of trouble,
everyone begs the mighty God
    to have mercy.
¹⁰But after their Creator
helps them through hard times,
    they forget about him,
¹¹though he makes us wiser
    than animals or birds.
¹²God won't listen to the prayers
    of proud and evil people.
¹³If God All-Powerful refuses
to answer their empty prayers,
¹⁴    he will surely deny
your impatient request
    to face him in court.
¹⁵Job, you were wrong to say
    God doesn't punish sin.
¹⁶Everything you have said
    adds up to nonsense.