Eliphaz Accuses and Exhorts Job
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
5Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?
6For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
8But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.
9Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
11Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.
12Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
13And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
14Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.
15Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
17Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
18Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
20Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
21Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
22Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
23If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
24Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
25Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
26For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
27Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
28Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
29When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
30He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
Eliphaz: Can a Man Be of Use to God?
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 around 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 ridicule them,
20 saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’
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, and precious silver to you.
26 For then you will 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.”
Eliphaz: Can a Man Be of Use to God?
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 “Can a man be of use to God?
Can even a wise man benefit Him?
3 Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous?
Does He profit if your ways are blameless?
4 Is it for your reverence that He rebukes you
and enters into judgment against you?
5 Is not your wickedness great?
Are not your iniquities endless?
6 For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers
and deprived the naked of their clothing.
7 You gave no water to the weary
and withheld food from the famished,
8 while the land belonged to a mighty man,
and a man of honor lived on it.
9 You sent widows away empty-handed,
and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
10 Therefore snares surround you,
and sudden peril terrifies you;
11 it is so dark you cannot see,
and a flood of water covers you.
12 Is not God as high as the heavens?
Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 Yet you say: ‘What does God know?
Does He judge through thick darkness?
14 Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us
as He traverses the vault of heaven. a’
15 Will you stay on the ancient path
that wicked men have trod?
16 They were snatched away before their time,
and their foundations were swept away by a flood.
17 They said to God, ‘Depart from us.
What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 But it was He who filled their houses with good things;
so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
19 The righteous see it and are glad;
the innocent mock them:
20 ‘Surely our foes are destroyed,
and fire has consumed their excess.’
21 Reconcile now and be at peace with Him;
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, you will be restored.
If you remove injustice from your tents
24 and consign your gold to the dust
and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,
25 then the Almighty will be your gold
and the finest silver for you.
26 Surely then you will delight in the Almighty
and lift up your face to God.
27 You will pray to Him, and He will hear you,
and you will fulfill your vows.
28 Your decisions will be carried out,
and light will shine on your ways.
29 When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’
then He will save the lowly.
30 He will deliver even one who is not innocent,
rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”
Footnotes:
14 a Or heaven’s horizon or the circle of the sky
Eliphaz Accuses and Exhorts Job
1And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: --
2To God is a man profitable, Because a wise man to himself is profitable?
3Is it a delight to the Mighty One That thou art righteous? is it gain, That thou makest perfect thy ways?
4Because of thy reverence Doth He reason with thee? He entereth with thee into judgment:
5Is not thy wickedness abundant? And there is no end to thine iniquities.
6For thou takest a pledge of thy brother for nought, And the garments of the naked Thou dost strip off.
7Thou causest not the weary to drink water, And from the hungry thou withholdest bread.
8As to the man of arm -- he hath the earth, And the accepted of face -- he dwelleth in it.
9Widows thou hast sent away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.
10Therefore round about thee are snares, And trouble thee doth fear suddenly.
11Or darkness -- thou dost not see, And abundance of waters doth cover thee.
12Is not God high in heaven? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high.
13And thou hast said, 'What -- hath God known? Through thickness doth He judge?
14Thick clouds are a secret place to Him, And He doth not see;' And the circle of the heavens He walketh habitually,
15The path of the age dost thou observe, That men of iniquity have trodden?
16Who have been cut down unexpectedly, A flood is poured out on their foundation.
17Those saying to God, 'Turn aside from us,' And what doth the Mighty One to them?
18And he hath filled their houses with good: (And the counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)
19See do the righteous and they rejoice, And the innocent mocketh at them,
20'Surely our substance hath not been cut off, And their excellency hath fire consumed.'
21Acquaint thyself, I pray thee, with Him, And be at peace, Thereby thine increase is good.
22Receive, I pray thee, from His mouth a law, And set His sayings in thy heart.
23If thou dost return unto the Mighty Thou art built up, Thou puttest iniquity far from thy tents.
24So as to set on the dust a defence, And on a rock of the valleys a covering.
25And the Mighty hath been thy defence, And silver is strength to thee.
26For then on the Mighty thou delightest thyself, And dost lift up unto God thy face,
27Thou dost make supplication unto Him, And He doth hear thee, And thy vows thou completest.
28And thou decreest a saying, And it is established to thee, And on thy ways hath light shone.
29For they have made low, And thou sayest, 'Lift up.' And the bowed down of eyes he saveth.
30He delivereth the not innocent, Yea, he hath been delivered By the cleanness of thy hands.
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