1 T hen Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

2 “ Can a man be profitable to God, Though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?

“Can a man be of use to God? Can a wise man be of use to himself?

3 I s it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or is it gain to Him that you make your ways blameless?

Is the All-powerful pleased if you are right and good? Is it of any use to Him if your ways were perfect?

4 “ Is it because of your fear of Him that He corrects you, And enters into judgment with you?

Is it because of how you honor God that He speaks strong words to you and punishes you?

5 I s not your wickedness great, And your iniquity without end?

Have you not done much wrong and your sins have no end?

6 F or you have taken pledges from your brother for no reason, And stripped the naked of their clothing.

For you have taken things from your brothers when they did not owe you anything. You have taken all their clothing and they have had nothing to wear.

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

To those who were tired, you have given no water to drink. And you have kept bread from the hungry.

8 B ut the mighty man possessed the land, And the honorable man dwelt in it.

But you were a powerful and respected man owning land and living on it.

9 Y ou have sent widows away empty, And the strength of the fatherless was crushed.

You have sent women away with nothing, whose husbands have died. And you have crushed the strength of children who have no parents.

10 T herefore snares are all around you, And sudden fear troubles you,

So traps are all around you, and much fear comes upon you all at once.

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

This is why it is dark and you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.

12 “ Is not God in the height of heaven? And see the highest stars, how lofty they are!

“Is not God high up in heaven? See the highest stars, how high they are!

13 A nd you say, ‘What does God know? Can He judge through the deep darkness?

So you say, ‘What does God know? Can He judge through the darkness?

14 T hick clouds cover Him, so that He cannot see, And He walks above the circle of heaven.’

Clouds cover Him so that He cannot see. He walks on the roof of heaven.’

15 W ill you keep to the old way Which wicked men have trod,

Will you keep to the old way which sinful men have walked?

16 W ho were cut down before their time, Whose foundations were swept away by a flood?

They were taken away before their time. The ground they stood on was washed away by a river.

17 T hey said to God, ‘Depart from us! What can the Almighty do to them?’

They said to God, ‘Leave us!’ and ‘What can the All-powerful do to us?’

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

Yet He filled their houses with good things. But the wisdom of the sinful is far from me.

19 “ The righteous see it and are glad, And the innocent laugh at them:

Those who are right and good see it and are glad. Those who are without guilt make fun of them,

20 ‘ Surely our adversaries are cut down, And the fire consumes their remnant.’

saying, ‘For sure those who hate us are destroyed, and fire has destroyed what they owned.’

21 “ Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace; Thereby good will come to you.

“Agree with God, and be at peace with Him. Then good will come to you.

22 R eceive, please, instruction from His mouth, And lay up His words in your heart.

Receive the teaching from His mouth, and keep His words in your heart.

23 I f you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; You will remove iniquity far from your tents.

If you return to the All-powerful, things will be well with you again. Put sin far from your tent.

24 T hen you will lay your gold in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.

Put your gold in the dust, and gold of Ophir among the stones of the river.

25 Y es, the Almighty will be your gold And your precious silver;

Then the All-powerful will be your gold and silver of much worth.

26 F or then you will have your delight in the Almighty, And lift up your face to God.

Then you will have joy in the All-powerful, and lift up your face to God.

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

You will pray to Him, and He will hear you. And you will keep your promises to Him.

28 Y ou will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways.

You will decide something, and it will be done for you. Light will shine on your path.

29 W hen they cast you down, and you say, ‘Exaltation will come! ’ Then He will save the humble person.

For God puts down the man who is filled with pride. But He saves the one who is not proud.

30 H e will even deliver one who is not innocent; Yes, he will be delivered by the purity of your hands.”

He will save the man who is even guilty because he will be helped by your hands that are clean.”