[1] Then Eli'phaz the Te'manite 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 if you are righteous, or is it gain to him if you make your
ways blameless? [4] Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you, and
enters into judgment with you? [5] Is not your wickedness great? There is
no end to your iniquities. [6] For you have exacted pledges of your
brothers for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing. [7] You
have given no water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from
the hungry. [8] The man with power possessed the land, and the favored man
dwelt in it. [9] You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the
fatherless were crushed. [10] Therefore snares are round about you, and
sudden terror overwhelms you; [11] your light is darkened, so that you
cannot see, and a flood of water covers you. [12] "Is not God high in the
heavens? See the highest stars, how lofty they are! [13] Therefore you say,
`erefore you say, "What does God know? Can he judge through the deep
darkness? [14] Thick clouds enwrap him, so that he does not see, and he
walks on the vault of heaven.' [15] Will you keep to the old way which
wicked men have trod? [16] They were snatched away before their time; their
foundation was washed away. [17] They said to God, `ey said to God, "Depart
from us,' and `d "What can the Almighty do to 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, `f, and what they left the fire has consumed.' [21] "Agree
with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you. [22] Receive
instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart. [23] If you
return to the Almighty and humble yourself, if you remove unrighteousness
far from your tents, [24] if you lay gold in the dust, and gold of Ophir
among the stones of the torrent bed, [25] and if the Almighty is your gold,
and your precious silver; [26] then you will delight yourself in the
Almighty, and lift up your face to God. [27] You will make your prayer to
him, and he will hear you; and you will pay your vows. [28] You will decide
on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on
your ways. [29] For God abases the proud, but he saves the lowly. [30] He
delivers the innocent man; you will be delivered through the cleanness of
your hands."
