1 T hen Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2 C an a man be profitable to God? Surely he that is wise is profitable to himself.

Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?

3 I s it any pleasure or advantage to the Almighty that you are righteous (upright and in right standing with Him)? Or is it gain to Him that you make your ways perfect?

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?

4 I s it for your fear of Him that He reproves you, that He enters with you into judgment?

Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?

5 I s not your wickedness great? There is no end to your iniquities.

Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?

6 F or you have taken pledges of your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

7 Y ou have not given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.

Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.

8 B ut the man with power possessed the land, and the favored and accepted man dwelt in it.

But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.

9 Y ou have sent widows away empty-handed, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

10 T herefore snares are round about you, and sudden fear troubles and overwhelms you;

Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;

11 Y our light is darkened, so that you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.

or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.

12 I s not God in the height of heaven? And behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

13 T herefore you say, How and what does God know ? Can He judge through the thick darkness?

And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?

14 T hick clouds are a covering to Him, so that He does not see, and He walks on the vault of the heavens.

Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.

15 W ill you pay attention and keep to the old way that wicked men trod,

Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?

16 M en who were snatched away before their time, whose foundations were poured out like a stream ?

Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:

17 T hey said to God, Depart from us, and, What can the Almighty do for or to us?

which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?

18 Y et He filled their houses with good. But the counsel of the ungodly is far from me.

Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

19 T he righteous see it and are glad; and the innocent laugh them to scorn,

The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.

20 S urely those who rose up against us are cut off, and that which remained to them the fire has consumed.

Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.

21 A cquaint now yourself with Him and be at peace; by that good shall come to you.

Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

22 R eceive, I pray you, the law and instruction from His mouth and lay up His words in your heart.

Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.

23 I f you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents,

If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.

24 I f you lay gold in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brook,

Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.

25 A nd make the Almighty your gold and your precious silver treasure,

Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.

26 T hen you will have delight in the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God.

For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.

27 Y ou will make your prayer to Him, and He will hear you, and you will pay your vows.

Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.

28 Y ou shall also decide and decree a thing, and it shall be established for you; and the light shall shine upon your ways.

Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

29 W hen they make low, you will say, a lifting up; and the humble person He lifts up and saves.

When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.

30 H e will even deliver the one who is not innocent; yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.

He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.