1 T hen Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

2 “ Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.

Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he that is wise is profitable to himself.

3 I s it any pleasure to the Almighty, that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him, that you make your ways perfect?

Is 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?

4 I s it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?

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

5 I sn’t your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.

Is not your wickedness great? There is no end to your iniquities.

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

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

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

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

8 B ut as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honorable man, he lived in it.

But the man with power possessed the land, and the favored and accepted man dwelt in it.

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

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

10 T herefore snares are around you. Sudden fear troubles you,

Therefore snares are round about you, and sudden fear troubles and overwhelms you;

11 o r darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.

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

12 “ Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See 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 Y ou say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?

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

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

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

15 W ill you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,

Will you pay attention and keep to the old way that wicked men trod,

16 w ho were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,

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

17 w ho said to God, ‘Depart from us;’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do for us?’

They said to God, Depart from us, and, What can the Almighty do for or 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. But the counsel of the ungodly is far from me.

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

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

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

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

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

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

22 P lease receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.

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

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

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

24 L ay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.

If you lay gold in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brook,

25 T he Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.

And make the Almighty your gold and your precious silver treasure,

26 F or then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and shall lift up your face to God.

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

27 Y ou shall make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You shall pay your vows.

You will make your prayer to Him, and He will hear you, and you will pay your vows.

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

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

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

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

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

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