Bible in Basic English
Does it seem to you to be right, and righteousness before God, to say,
What profit is it to me, and how am I better off than if I had done wrong?
I will make answer to you and to your friends:
Let your eyes be turned to the heavens, and lifted up to see the skies; they are higher than you.
If you have done wrong, is he any the worse for it? and if your sins are great in number, what is it to him?
If you are upright, what do you give to him? or what does he take from your hand?
Your evil-doing may have an effect on a man like yourself, or your righteousness on a son of man.
Because the hand of the cruel is hard on them, men are making sounds of grief; they are crying out for help because of the arm of the strong.
But no one has said, Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night;
Who gives us more knowledge than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the heaven?
There they are crying out because of the pride of the evil-doers, but he gives them no answer.
But God will not give ear to what is false, or the Ruler of all take note of it;
How much less when you say that you do not see him; that the cause is before him, and you are waiting for him.
And now ... ;
And Job's mouth is open wide to give out what is of no profit, increasing words without knowledge.
— Job 35:2-1964, Bible in Basic English
““Do you think this to be just: when you say,‘My right before God.’ But you say,‘What will it profit you,’ and,‘What do I gain by not sinning?’ I will reply to you, and to your friends with you. Gaze at the heavens and see; consider the clouds, which are higher than you! If you sin, how does it affect God? If your transgressions are many, what does it do to him? If you are righteous, what do you give to God, or what does he receive from your hand? Your wickedness affects only a person like yourself, and your righteousness only other people. “People cry out because of the excess of oppression; they cry out for help because of the power of the mighty. But no one says,‘Where is God, my Creator, who gives songs in the night, who teaches us more than the wild animals of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’ Then they cry out– but he does not answer– because of the arrogance of the wicked. Surely it is an empty cry– God does not hear it; the Almighty does not take notice of it. How much less, then, when you say that you do not perceive him, that the case is before him and you are waiting for him! And further, when you say that his anger does not punish, and that he does not know transgression! So Job opens his mouth to no purpose; without knowledge he multiplies words.””
And Elihu made answer and said,
Does it seem to you to be right, and righteousness before God, to say,
What profit is it to me, and how am I better off than if I had done wrong?
I will make answer to you and to your friends:
Let your eyes be turned to the heavens, and lifted up to see the skies; they are higher than you.
If you have done wrong, is he any the worse for it? and if your sins are great in number, what is it to him?
If you are upright, what do you give to him? or what does he take from your hand?
Your evil-doing may have an effect on a man like yourself, or your righteousness on a son of man.
Because the hand of the cruel is hard on them, men are making sounds of grief; they are crying out for help because of the arm of the strong.
But no one has said, Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night;
Who gives us more knowledge than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the heaven?
There they are crying out because of the pride of the evil-doers, but he gives them no answer.
But God will not give ear to what is false, or the Ruler of all take note of it;
How much less when you say that you do not see him; that the cause is before him, and you are waiting for him.
And now ... ;
And Job's mouth is open wide to give out what is of no profit, increasing words without knowledge.