Comparison is not to be made with God, because our good or evil cannot extend to him, 1-8. Many cry in their afflictions, but are not heard for lack of faith, 9-16.
1 Elihu spoke moreover and said,
2 "Do you think this to be right that you said,/
'My righteousness is more than God's'?
3 For you said, 'What advantage will it be to you?/
What profit shall I have if I am cleansed from my sin?'
4 I will answer you/
and your companions with you.
5 Look to the heavens and see,/
and behold the clouds which are higher than you.
6 If you sin, what do you do against him?/
Or if your transgressions are multiplied,/
what do you do to him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him?/
Or what does he receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are,/
and your righteousness may profit the son of man.
9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions/
they make the oppressed to cry./
They cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
10 But no one says, 'Where is God my maker/
who gives songs in the night,
11 Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth/
and makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?'
12 There they cry, but no one gives answer/
because of the pride of evil men.
13 Surely God will not hear vanity,/
neither will the Almighty regard it.
14 Although you say you shall not see him,/
yet judgment is before him; therefore, trust in him.
15 But now, because it is not so, he has visited in his anger,/
yet he does not know it in great extremity.
16 Therefore, Job opens his mouth in vain./
He multiplies words without knowledge."
Matthew Henry Commentary - Job, Chapter 35[➚]
John Gill's Chapter Summary:
Is this chapter Elihu goes on to charge Job with other unbecoming speeches, which he undertakes to refute; as that he had represented his cause more just than God's, and religion and righteousness as things unprofitable to men, only to God; to which Elihu takes upon him to make answer (verses 1-8); and that the cries of the oppressed were not heard by the Lord, so as to give occasion to songs of praise and thankfulness, to which he replies (verses 9-13); and that Job had expressed diffidence and despair of ever seeing and enjoying the favor of God, which he endeavors to remove (verses 14-16).