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¹ Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,² Can a [noble] man be profitable to God? Surely he that is wise is profitable to himself.³ Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that you are righteous? Or is it gain [to him], that you make your ways perfect?⁴ Is it for your fear [of him] 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 of 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; And the honorable man, he dwelt 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, And sudden fear troubles you,¹¹ Or darkness, so that you can't see, And abundance of waters cover you.¹² Isn't God in the height of heaven? And look at the height of the stars, how high they are!¹³ And you say, What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?¹⁴ Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he does not see; And he walks on the vault of heaven.

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; And the innocent laugh them to scorn,²⁰ [Saying], Surely those that rose up against us are cut off, And the remnant of them the fire has consumed.

²¹ Acquaint now yourself with him, and be at peace: Thereby good shall come to you.²² Receive, I pray you, the law 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 And lay [your] treasure in the dust, And [the gold of] Ophir among the stones of the brooks;²⁵ And the Almighty will be your treasure, And precious silver to you.²⁶ For then you shall 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; And you shall pay your vows.²⁸ You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established to you; And light shall shine on your ways.²⁹ When they are cast down, you shall say, [There is] lifting up; And the humble person he will save.³⁰ He will deliver [even] him that is not innocent: Yes, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.