1 A nd Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: --

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

2 T o God is a man profitable, Because a wise man to himself is profitable?

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

3 I s it a delight to the Mighty One That thou art righteous? is it gain, That thou makest perfect thy ways?

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

4 B ecause of thy reverence Doth He reason thee? He entereth with thee into judgment:

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

5 I s not thy wickedness abundant? And there is no end to thine iniquities.

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

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

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

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

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

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

9 W idows thou hast sent away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.

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

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

11 O r darkness -- thou dost not see, And abundance of waters doth cover thee.

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

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

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

13 A nd thou hast said, `What -- hath God known? Through thickness doth He judge?

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

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

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

15 T he path of the age dost thou observe, That men of iniquity have trodden?

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

16 W ho have been cut down unexpectedly, A flood is poured out on their foundation.

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

17 T hose saying to God, `Turn aside from us,' And what doth the Mighty One to them?

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

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

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

19 S ee do the righteous and they rejoice, And the innocent mocketh 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 substance hath not been cut off, And their excellency hath fire consumed.'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

24 S o as to set on the dust a defence, And on a rock of the valleys a covering.

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

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

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

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

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

27 T hou dost make supplication unto Him, And He doth hear thee, And thy vows thou completest.

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

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

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

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

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

30 H e delivereth the not innocent, Yea, he hath been delivered By the cleanness of thy hands.

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