| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then in response, Eliphaz from Teman said: | 1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: |
| 2"Can a human being be useful to God, since he, who is wise, is sufficient to himself? | 2Can a man be of any use to God? Can even a wise man be of use to Him? |
| 3Will it please the Almighty if you are innocent, or does he profit if your life is blameless? | 3Does it delight the Almighty if you are righteous? Does He profit if you perfect your behavior? |
| 4Will he acquit you just because you fear him, and render a verdict on your behalf? | 4Does He correct you and take you to court because of your piety? |
| 5Your wickedness is great, isn't it? There's no limit to your iniquity, is there? | 5Isn't your wickedness abundant and aren't your iniquities endless? |
| 6"After all, you've taken collateral from your relatives for no reason; you stripped the naked of their clothing. | 6For you took collateral from your brothers without cause, stripping off their clothes and leaving them naked. |
| 7You've neglected to give water to the weary, and you've withheld food from the hungry. | 7You gave no water to the thirsty and withheld food from the famished, |
| 8The land belongs to the powerful, and the privileged thrive in it. | 8while the land belonged to a powerful man and an influential man lived on it. |
| 9You sent away widows empty-handed, and broke the outstretched arms of orphans. | 9You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed. |
| 10That's why disaster surrounds you, terror suddenly overwhelms you, | 10Therefore snares surround you, and sudden dread terrifies you, |
| 11you see nothing but darkness, and a flood of troubles drowns you." | 11or darkness, so you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you. |
| 12"Isn't God in heaven above? Consider how far away the stars are, and how lofty they are! | 12Isn't God as high as the heavens? And look at the highest stars--how lofty they are! |
| 13You've asked, 'What does God know? Can he sort through pitch black darkness?' | 13Yet you say: "What does God know? Can He judge through thick darkness? |
| 14Thick clouds cover him so he can't see as he walks back and forth at heaven's horizon. | 14Clouds veil Him so that He cannot see, as He walks on the circle of the sky." |
| 15"Will you keep walking on the traditional path that sinners have tread, | 15Will you continue on the ancient path that wicked men have walked? |
| 16who were snatched away before their time; when their foundation was swept away by a river? | 16They were snatched away before their time, and their foundations were washed away by a river. |
| 17They told God, 'Get away from us!' and 'What will the Almighty do to them?' | 17They were the ones who said to God, "Leave us alone!" and "What can the Almighty do to us?" |
| 18"Though God fills their houses with good things, the counsel of the wicked will remain far from me. | 18But it was He who filled their houses with good things. The counsel of the wicked is far from me! |
| 19The righteous will see this and rejoice; the innocent will insult him, saying, | 19The righteous see this and rejoice; the innocent mock them, saying, |
| 20Our enemies are sure to be destroyed, and fire will burn up what's left of their riches." | 20"Surely our opponents are destroyed, and fire has consumed what they left behind." |
| 21"Get to know God, and you'll be at peace with him, and then prosperity will come to you. | 21Come to terms with God and be at peace; in this way good will come to you. |
| 22Accept what he has to teach you, and treasure his words in your heart. | 22Receive instruction from His mouth, and place His sayings in your heart. |
| 23"If you return to the Almighty you'll be restored, as you remove iniquity from your household. | 23If you return to the Almighty, you will be renewed. If you banish injustice from your tent |
| 24Bury your gold nuggets in the dust, and your source of gold among the stones in a streambed, | 24and consign your gold to the dust, the gold of Ophir to the stones in the wadis, |
| 25and then the Almighty will be your gold and your refined silver. | 25the Almighty will be your gold and your finest silver. |
| 26"Then you'll take delight in the Almighty; and will turn your face toward God. | 26Then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God. |
| 27You'll entreat him and he'll listen to you as you fulfill your vows. | 27You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows. |
| 28When you make a decision on something, it will be established for you, and light will brighten your way. | 28When you make a decision, it will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways. |
| 29"For when they're humbled, you may respond; 'It's their pride!' but he delivers the humble. | 29When others are humiliated and you say, "Lift them up," God will save the humble. |
| 30He'll even deliver the guilty, who will be delivered through your innocence." | 30He will even rescue the guilty one, who will be rescued by the purity of your hands. |
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