New King James Version

Christian Standard Bible

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

2“Can a man be profitable to God, Though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?

2Can a man be of any use to God? Can even a wise man be of use to him?

3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or is it gain to Him that you make your ways blameless?

3Does it delight the Almighty if you are righteous? Does he profit if you perfect your behavior?

4“Is it because of your fear of Him that He corrects you, And enters into judgment with you?

4Does he correct you and take you to court because of your piety?

5Is not your wickedness great, And your iniquity without end?

5Isn't your wickedness abundant and aren't your iniquities endless?

6For you have taken pledges from your brother for no reason, And stripped the naked of their clothing.

6For you took collateral from your brothers without cause, stripping off their clothes and leaving them naked.

7You have not given the weary water to drink, And you have withheld bread from the hungry.

7You gave no water to the thirsty and withheld food from the famished,

8But the mighty man possessed the land, And the honorable man dwelt in it.

8while the land belonged to a powerful man and an influential man lived on it.

9You have sent widows away empty, And the strength of the fatherless was crushed.

9You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.

10Therefore snares are all around you, And sudden fear troubles you,

10Therefore snares surround you, and sudden dread terrifies you,

11Or darkness so that you cannot see; And an abundance of water covers you.

11or darkness, so you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.

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

12Isn't God as high as the heavens? And look at the highest stars--how lofty they are!

13And you say, ‘What does God know? Can He judge through the deep darkness?

13Yet you say, "What does God know? Can he judge through total darkness?

14Thick clouds cover Him, so that He cannot see, And He walks above the circle of heaven.’

14Clouds veil him so that he cannot see, as he walks on the circle of the sky."

15Will you keep to the old way Which wicked men have trod,

15Will you continue on the ancient path that wicked men have walked?

16Who were cut down before their time, Whose foundations were swept away by a flood?

16They were snatched away before their time, and their foundations were washed away by a river.

17They said to God, ‘Depart from us! What can the Almighty do to them?’

17They were the ones who said to God, "Leave us alone!" and "What can the Almighty do to us?"

18Yet He filled their houses with good things; But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

18But it was he who filled their houses with good things. The counsel of the wicked is far from me!

19“The righteous see it and are glad, And the innocent laugh at them:

19The righteous see this and rejoice; the innocent mock them, saying,

20‘Surely our adversaries are cut down, And the fire consumes their remnant.’

20"Surely our opponents are destroyed, and fire has consumed what they left behind."

21“Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace; Thereby good will come to you.

21Come to terms with God and be at peace; in this way good will come to you.

22Receive, please, instruction from His mouth, And lay up His words in your heart.

22Receive instruction from his mouth, and place his sayings in your heart.

23If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; You will remove iniquity far from your tents.

23If you return to the Almighty, you will be renewed. If you banish injustice from your tent

24Then you will lay your gold in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.

24and consign your gold to the dust, the gold of Ophir to the stones in the wadis,

25Yes, the Almighty will be your gold And your precious silver;

25the Almighty will be your gold and your finest silver.

26For then you will have your delight in the Almighty, And lift up your face to God.

26Then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.

27You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you, And you will pay your vows.

27You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.

28You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways.

28When you make a decision, it will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways.

29When they cast you down, and you say, ‘Exaltation will come!’ Then He will save the humble person.

29When others are humiliated and you say, "Lift them up," God will save the humble.

30He will even deliver one who is not innocent; Yes, he will be delivered by the purity of your hands.”

30He will even rescue the guilty one, who will be rescued by the purity of your hands.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.