1: Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, 2: "Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself. 3: 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 for your piety that he reproves you, That he enters with you into judgment? 5: Isn't your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities. 6: For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, And stripped the naked of their clothing. 7: You haven't given water to the weary to drink, And you have withheld bread from the hungry. 8: But as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honorable man, he lived in it. 9: You have sent widows away empty, And the arms of the fatherless have been broken. 10: Therefore snares are round about you. Sudden fear troubles you, 11: Or darkness, so that you can not see, And floods of waters cover you. 12: "Isn't God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are! 13: You say, 'What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness? 14: Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn't see. He walks on the vault of the sky.' 15: Will you keep the old way Which wicked men have trodden, 16: Who were snatched away before their time, Whose foundation was poured out as a stream, 17: Who said to God, 'Depart from us;' And, 'What can the Almighty do for us?' 18: 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; The innocent laugh them to scorn, 20: Saying, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off, The fire has consumed the remnant of them.' 21: "Acquaint yourself with him, now, and be at peace. Thereby good shall come to you. 22: Please receive instruction from his mouth, And lay up his words in your heart. 23: If you return to the Almighty, you shall be built up, If you put away unrighteousness far from your tents. 24: Lay your treasure in the dust, The gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks. 25: The Almighty will be your treasure, Precious silver to you. 26: For then shall you delight yourself in the Almighty, And shall lift up your face to God. 27: You shall make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You shall pay your vows. 28: You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established to you. Light shall shine on your ways. 29: When they cast down, you shall say, 'be lifted up.' He will save the humble person. 30: He will even deliver him who is not innocent; Yes, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of your hands."
