1And Eliphaz the Tĕmanite answered and said,

2“Would a strong man be of use to Ěl? Even he who is wise be of use to Him?

3Is it a delight to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or gain, that you make your ways perfect?

4Is it because of your fear of Him that He reproves you, or enters into right-ruling with you?

5Is not your evil great? And is there no end to your crookednesses?

6For you take pledges from your brother for naught, and strip the naked of their garments.

7You do not give the weary water to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.

8But the man of strength, he has the earth, and the highly respected man dwells in it.

9You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless are crushed.

10Therefore snares are all around you, and sudden fear alarms you,

11or darkness, so that you do not see, and a flood of water covers you.

12Is not Eloah in the height of heaven? And see the highest stars, how lofty they are!

13And you have said, ‘What does Ěl know? Would He judge through the dark cloud?

14‘Clouds screen Him, so that He does not see, and He moves about the circuit of the heavens.’

15Do you observe the old way which wicked men have trod,

16who were cut down before their time, whose foundations were swept away by a flood?

17They said to Ěl, ‘Turn aside from us!’ And what did the Almighty do to them?

18Yet He filled their houses with the good! (But the counsel of the wrong has been far from me).

19The righteous see it and are glad, and the innocent mock at them and say,

20‘Truly, our adversaries are cut off, and fire has consumed their excess.’

21Be of service to Him, and be at peace; thereby blessing shall come to you.

22Please accept the Torah from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.

23If you return to the Almighty, you are built up. If you remove unrighteousness far from your tents,

24and lay your gold in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the wadis,

25then the Almighty shall be your gold and your silver, strength to you.

26Then you shall certainly delight in the Almighty, and lift up your face to Eloah,

27make your prayer to Him. And He shall hear you, and you shall pay your vows.

28And whatever you decide on shall be established for you, and light shine on your ways.

29For they have made low, and you say, ‘Up!’ And He saves the lowly of eyes.

30Would He deliver one who is not innocent? So by the cleanness of your hands you shall be delivered.”