Berean Study Bible

English Standard Version

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

2“Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him?

2“Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.

3Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous? Does He profit if your ways are blameless?

3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are in the right, or is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?

4Is it for your reverence that He rebukes you and enters into judgment against you?

4Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you and enters into judgment with you?

5Is not your wickedness great? Are not your iniquities endless?

5Is not your evil abundant? There is no end to your iniquities.

6For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers and deprived the naked of their clothing.

6For you have exacted pledges of your brothers for nothing and stripped the naked of their clothing.

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

7You have given no water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.

8while the land belonged to a mighty man, and a man of honor lived on it.

8The man with power possessed the land, and the favored man lived in it.

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

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

10Therefore snares surround you, and sudden peril terrifies you;

10Therefore snares are all around you, and sudden terror overwhelms you,

11it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.

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

12Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!

12“Is not God high in the heavens? See the highest stars, how lofty they are!

13Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?

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

14Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us as He traverses the vault of heaven.’

14Thick clouds veil him, so that he does not see, and he walks on the vault of heaven.’

15Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod?

15Will you keep to the old way that wicked men have trod?

16They were snatched away before their time, and their foundations were swept away by a flood.

16They were snatched away before their time; their foundation was washed away.

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

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

18But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.

18Yet he filled their houses with good things— but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

19The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent mock them:

19The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent one mocks at them,

20‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’

20saying, ‘Surely our adversaries are cut off, and what they left the fire has consumed.’

21Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.

21“Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you.

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

22Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.

23If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents

23If you return to the Almighty you will be built up; if you remove injustice far from your tents,

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

24if you lay gold in the dust, and gold of Ophir among the stones of the torrent-bed,

25then the Almighty will be your gold and the finest silver for you.

25then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver.

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

26For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.

27You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.

27You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you, and you will pay your vows.

28Your decisions will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways.

28You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.

29When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the lowly.

29For when they are humbled you say, ‘It is because of pride’; but he saves the lowly.

30He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”

30He delivers even the one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”

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ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.