1 T hen Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: --

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

To God is a man profitable, Because a wise man to himself is profitable?

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 a delight to the Mighty One That thou art righteous? is it gain, That thou makest perfect thy ways?

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

Because of thy reverence Doth He reason thee? He entereth with thee into judgment:

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

Is not thy wickedness abundant? And there is no end to thine iniquities.

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

For thou takest a pledge of thy brother for nought, And the garments of the naked Thou dost strip off.

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

Thou causest not the weary to drink water, And from the hungry thou withholdest bread.

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

As to the man of arm -- he hath the earth, And the accepted of face -- he dwelleth in it.

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

Widows thou hast sent away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.

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

Therefore round about thee snares, And trouble thee doth fear suddenly.

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

Or darkness -- thou dost not see, And abundance of waters doth 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 high heaven? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high.

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

And thou hast said, `What -- hath God known? Through thickness doth He judge?

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 a secret place to Him, And He doth not see;' And the circle of the heavens He walketh habitually,

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

The path of the age dost thou observe, That men of iniquity have trodden?

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

Who have been cut down unexpectedly, A flood is poured out on their foundation.

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

Those saying to God, `Turn aside from us,' And what doth the Mighty One to them?

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

And he hath filled their houses good: (And the counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)

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

See do the righteous and they rejoice, And the innocent mocketh at them,

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

`Surely our substance hath not been cut off, And their excellency hath fire consumed.'

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

Acquaint thyself, I pray thee, with Him, And be at peace, Thereby thine increase good.

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, from His mouth a law, And set His sayings in thy 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 dost return unto the Mighty Thou art built up, Thou puttest iniquity far from thy tents.

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

So as to set on the dust a defence, And on a rock of the valleys a covering.

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

And the Mighty hath been thy defence, And silver strength to thee.

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

For then on the Mighty thou delightest thyself, And dost lift up unto God thy face,

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

Thou dost make supplication unto Him, And He doth hear thee, And thy vows thou completest.

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.

And thou decreest a saying, And it is established to thee, And on thy ways hath light shone.

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

For they have made low, And thou sayest, `Lift up.' And the bowed down of eyes he saveth.

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

He delivereth the not innocent, Yea, he hath been delivered By the cleanness of thy hands.