1Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,
2Can a man be serviceable unto God? Truly the intelligent is serviceable unto himself.
3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous? or is it any gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4Is it out of fear of thee that he will reproach thee? or go with thee into judgment?
5Is not thy evil great? and no end to thy iniquities?
6For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brothers for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and from the hungry thou hast withholden bread.
8But as for the man of a strong arm, he obtained the land, and the highly honored could dwell therein.
9Widows hast thou sent away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10Therefore are snares round about thee, and sudden dread terrifieth thee.
11Or seest thou not the darkness? and the abundance of water which covereth thee?
12Is not God in the height of heaven? and beholding the highest elevation of the stars, however high they are?
13But thou sayest, “What doth God know? can he judge behind the darkness?
14Thick clouds are a covering for him, so that he will not see; and he walketh along on the circle of heaven.”
15Wilt thou [thus] observe the path of ancient times which the men of injustice have trodden?
16Who were shrivelled up before their time, whose foundation was flooded away like a river;
17Who said unto God, “'Depart from us:” and what wrought the Almighty for them?
18And yet it was he that filled their houses with good things; but the counsel of the wicked be [still] far from me.
19The righteous will see it, and be glad; and the innocent will laugh them to scorn.
20“Is not he destroyed that rose up against us, and hath not the fire consumed what they had left?”
21Do but become acquainted with him, and be at peace: thereby will happiness come unto thee.
22Do but accept instruction from his mouth, and lay up his saying in thy heart.
23If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, so thou wilt but remove wrong-doing far away from thy tents.
24And throw down in the dust precious metals, and [the gold of] Ophir to the stones of the brooks:
25Then will the Almighty be thy precious metal, and brightly-shining silver unto thee.
26For then wilt thou have in the Almighty thy delight, and thou canst lift up unto God thy face.
27Thou wilt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and thy vows wilt thou pay.
28And if thou decree a thing, it will be fulfilled unto thee; and upon thy ways the light will shine.
29For when men are brought low, thou wilt say, Pride [hath done it]; but those of lowly eyes [God] will help.
30He will even deliver him who is not guiltless: and thou wilt be delivered by the purity of thy hands.