Eliphaz: Can a Man Be of Use to God?

1And Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

2“Can a man be useful to God?

Can even a wise one benefit Him?

3Is it pleasure to Shaddai† that you are righteous,

or gain that you perfect your ways?

4For your fear does He rebuke you

and enter against you into judgment?

5Is not your evil great,

and your iniquity without end?

6For you take a pledge from your brothers needlessly,

and the garments the naked you strip off.

7You have not quenched with water the weary,

and from the hungry you have withheld bread.

8But the man of arm, unto him is the land,

and the uplifted of face, he dwells in it!

9You have sent away widows in emptiness,

and the arms of the fatherless are crushed.

10Upon thus there are snares all around you,

and dread suddenly terrifies you,

11or darkness you cannot see,

and an abundance of waters covers you.

12Is not God in the height of the heavens?

And behold, the head of the stars, how exalted they are!

13And you say, ‘What does God know?

How can He judge through the dark cloud?

14Clouds are a covering for Him, so that He does not see,

and the vault of the heavens† He walks about.’

15Will you keep the way of old,

which men of iniquity have trod,

16who were seized, and it was not time,

their foundation was poured out by a torrent?

17They said to God, ‘Turn away from us!’

And’What can Shaddai do to us?’

18Yet He filled their houses with good—

and the counsel of the wicked, may it be far from me!

19The righteous see it and are glad,

and the innocent one mocks them:

20‘Surely our adversaries cut off,

and fire consumes their excess.’

21Make yourself of use now, and be at peace with Him;

with these things will come to you good.

22Receive, please, instruction from His mouth,

and set His words in your heart.

23If you should return to Shaddai, you will be built up,

if you put far away from your tent iniquity,

24and if you set your gold upon the dust,

and Ophir among the stones of the torrents,

25then Shaddai will be your gold,

and the silver of heights for you.

26For then you will take delight in Shaddai,

and you will lift to God your face.

27You will pray to Him, and He will hear you,

and your vows you will fulfill.

28Then you will decree a word, and it will stand for you,

and upon your paths light will shine.

29When they have made low, and you say Lift up,

then the lowly of eyes He will save.

30He will deliver the one not innocent,

rescuing him by the purity of your hands.”