1 T hen Eliphaz the Temanite responded,

And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: --

2 “ Can a vigorous man be of use to God, Or a wise man be useful to himself?

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

3 “ Is there any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous, Or profit if 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 “ Is it because of your reverence that He reproves you, That He enters into judgment against you?

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

5 “ Is not your wickedness great, And your iniquities without end?

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

6 “ For you have taken pledges of your brothers without cause, And stripped men naked.

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

7 “ To the weary you have given no water to drink, And from the hungry you have withheld bread.

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

8 “ But the earth belongs to the mighty man, And the honorable man dwells in it.

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

9 “ You have sent widows away empty, And the strength of the orphans has been crushed.

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

10 “ Therefore snares surround you, And sudden dread terrifies you,

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

11 O r darkness, so that you cannot see, And an abundance of water covers you.

Or darkness -- thou dost not see, And abundance of waters doth cover thee.

12 “ Is not God in the height of heaven? Look also at the distant stars, how high they are!

Is not God high heaven? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high.

13 “ You say, ‘ 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 ‘ Clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see; And He walks on the vault of heaven.’

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

15 “ Will you keep to the ancient path Which wicked men have trod,

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

16 W ho were snatched away before their time, Whose foundations were washed away by a river?

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

17 “ They said to God, ‘Depart from us!’ And ‘What can the Almighty do to them?’

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

18 “ Yet He filled their houses with good things; But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

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

19 “ The righteous see and are glad, And the innocent mock them,

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

20 S aying, ‘Truly our adversaries are cut off, And their abundance the fire has consumed.’

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

21 “ Yield now and be at peace with Him; Thereby good will come to you.

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

22 “ Please receive instruction from His mouth And establish His words in your heart.

Receive, I pray thee, from His mouth a law, And set His sayings in thy heart.

23 “ If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored; If you remove unrighteousness far from your tent,

If thou dost return unto the Mighty Thou art built up, Thou puttest iniquity far from thy tents.

24 A nd place your gold in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,

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

25 T hen the Almighty will be your gold And choice silver to you.

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

26 “ For then you will delight in the Almighty And lift up your face to God.

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

27 “ You will pray 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 “ You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you; And light will shine on your ways.

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

29 “ When you are cast down, you will speak with confidence, And the humble person He will save.

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

30 “ He will deliver one who is not innocent, And 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.