¹ And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: --

^{2 Ref} To God is a man profitable, Because a wise man to himself is profitable?

^{3 Ref} Is it a delight to the Mighty One That thou art righteous? is it gain, That thou makest perfect thy ways?

^{4 Ref} Because of thy reverence Doth He reason `with' thee? He entereth with thee into judgment:

^{5 Ref} Is not thy wickedness abundant? And there is no end to thine iniquities.

^{6 Ref} For thou takest a pledge of thy brother for nought, And the garments of the naked Thou dost strip off.

^{7 Ref} Thou causest not the weary to drink water, And from the hungry thou withholdest bread.

^{8 Ref} As to the man of arm -- he hath the earth, And the accepted of face -- he dwelleth in it.

^{9 Ref} Widows thou hast sent away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.

^{10 Ref} Therefore round about thee `are' snares, And trouble thee doth fear suddenly.

^{11 Ref} Or darkness -- thou dost not see, And abundance of waters doth cover thee.

^{12 Ref} Is not God high `in' heaven? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high.

^{13 Ref} And thou hast said, `What -- hath God known? Through thickness doth He judge?

^{14 Ref} Thick clouds `are' a secret place to Him, And He doth not see;' And the circle of the heavens He walketh habitually,

^{15 Ref} The path of the age dost thou observe, That men of iniquity have trodden?

^{16 Ref} Who have been cut down unexpectedly, A flood is poured out on their foundation.

^{17 Ref} Those saying to God, `Turn aside from us,' And what doth the Mighty One to them?

^{18 Ref} And he hath filled their houses `with' good: (And the counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)

^{19 Ref} See do the righteous and they rejoice, And the innocent mocketh at them,

^{20 Ref} `Surely our substance hath not been cut off, And their excellency hath fire consumed.'

^{21 Ref} Acquaint thyself, I pray thee, with Him, And be at peace, Thereby thine increase `is' good.

^{22 Ref} Receive, I pray thee, from His mouth a law, And set His sayings in thy heart.

^{23 Ref} If thou dost return unto the Mighty Thou art built up, Thou puttest iniquity far from thy tents.

^{24 Ref} So as to set on the dust a defence, And on a rock of the valleys a covering.

^{25 Ref} And the Mighty hath been thy defence, And silver `is' strength to thee.

^{26 Ref} For then on the Mighty thou delightest thyself, And dost lift up unto God thy face,

^{27 Ref} Thou dost make supplication unto Him, And He doth hear thee, And thy vows thou completest.

^{28 Ref} And thou decreest a saying, And it is established to thee, And on thy ways hath light shone.

^{29 Ref} For they have made low, And thou sayest, `Lift up.' And the bowed down of eyes he saveth.

^{30 Ref} He delivereth the not innocent, Yea, he hath been delivered By the cleanness of thy hands.

¹ Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

^{2 Ref} Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?

^{3 Ref} Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?

^{4 Ref} Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?

^{5 Ref} Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?

^{6 Ref} For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

^{7 Ref} Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.

^{8 Ref} But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.

^{9 Ref} Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

^{10 Ref} Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;

^{11 Ref} Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.

^{12 Ref} Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

^{13 Ref} And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?

^{14 Ref} Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.

^{15 Ref} Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?

^{16 Ref} Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:

^{17 Ref} Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?

^{18 Ref} Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

^{19 Ref} The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.

^{20 Ref} Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.

^{21 Ref} Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

^{22 Ref} Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.

^{23 Ref} If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.

^{24 Ref} Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.

^{25 Ref} Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.

^{26 Ref} For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.

^{27 Ref} Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.

^{28 Ref} Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

^{29 Ref} When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.

^{30 Ref} He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.