The Word Am I

The Book of Job

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- Chapter 35 -

Elihu condemns self-righteousness

1
After this, Eliu again spoke in this way:
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Does it seem right to you in your thoughts, that you should say, “I am more just than God?”
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For you said, “Having done what is right does not please you,” and, “How will it benefit you, if I sin?”(a)
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And so, I will respond to your words, and to your friends who are with you.
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Look up towards heaven and consider; also, think about the sky, which is higher than you.
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If you sin, how will it hurt him? And if your iniquities are multiplied, what will you do against him?
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Furthermore, if you act justly, what will you give him, or what will he receive from your hand?
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Your impiety may hurt a man who is like you, though your justice may help the son of the man.
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Because of the multitude of false accusers, they will cry out; and they will lament because of the strong arm of the tyrants.
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Yet he has not said: “Where is God, who made me, who has given songs in the night,
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who teaches us in addition to the beasts of the earth, and who educates us along with the birds of the air?”
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There they will cry, and he will not heed them, because of the arrogance of the wicked.
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Therefore, God does not hear in vain, and the Almighty will look into each and every case.
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And so, when you say, “He does not examine,” be judged before him, but wait for him.
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For, at the present time, he does not bring forth his fury, nor does he punish sin exceedingly.
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Therefore, Job has opened his mouth in vain and has multiplied words without knowledge.

Footnotes

(a)35:3 The word ‘vel’ is usually translated as ‘or,’ and the word ‘et’ is usually translated as ‘and.’ However, sometimes the meaning of these Latin words is best expressed by translating ‘vel’ as ‘and,’ and by translating ‘et’ as ‘or.’(Conte)

Elihu condemns self-righteousness

1
Moreover Elihu answered,
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“Do you think this to be your right, or do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s,’
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that you ask, ‘What advantage will it be to you? What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’
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I will answer you, and your companions with you.
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Look to the skies, and see. See the skies, which are higher than you.
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If you have sinned, what effect do you have against him? If your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
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If you are righteous, what do you give him? Or what does he receive from your hand?
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Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are, and your righteousness may profit a son of man.
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“By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out. They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.
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But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night,
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who teaches us more than the animals of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’
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There they cry, but no one answers, because of the pride of evil men.
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Surely God will not hear an empty cry, neither will the Almighty regard it.
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How much less when you say you don’t see him. The cause is before him, and you wait for him!
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But now, because he has not visited in his anger, neither does he greatly regard arrogance,
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therefore Job opens his mouth with empty talk, and he multiplies words without knowledge.”
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