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 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 does it benefit him, that you make your ways perfect?

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

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

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

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

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

6 F or you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, 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 haven’t given water to the weary 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 as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honorable man, he lived 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 arms of the fatherless have been broken.

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 around you. 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 can not see, and floods of waters cover you.

This is why it is dark and 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 high up in heaven? See the highest stars, how high they are!

13 Y ou say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

22 P lease receive 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 shall be built up, if you put away unrighteousness 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 L ay your treasure in the dust, 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 T he Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.

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

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

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

28 Y ou shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established to you. Light shall 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 down, you shall say, ‘be lifted up.’ 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 him who is not innocent. Yes, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”

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