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 profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable 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 it any pleasure to the Almighty, that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him, that you make your ways perfect?

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

Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?

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

Isn’t your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.

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

For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

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

You haven’t given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.

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

But as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honorable man, he lived in it.

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

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

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

Therefore snares are around you. Sudden fear troubles you,

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

or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.

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

“Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!

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

You say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?

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

Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn’t see. He walks on the vault of the sky.’

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

Will you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,

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

who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,

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

who said to God, ‘Depart from us;’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do for 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 counsel of the wicked is far from me.

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

The righteous see it, and are glad. The innocent ridicule them,

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

saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’

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

“Acquaint yourself with him, now, and be at peace. Thereby good shall come to you.

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

Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up 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 Almighty, you shall be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.

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

Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.

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

The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.

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

For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and shall 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 shall make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You shall pay your vows.

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

You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established to you. Light shall shine on your ways.

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

When they cast down, you shall say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.

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

He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”