New Living Translation | International Standard Version |
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: | 1Then in response, Eliphaz from Teman said: |
2“Can a person do anything to help God? Can even a wise person be helpful to him? | 2"Can a human being be useful to God, since he, who is wise, is sufficient to himself? |
3Is it any advantage to the Almighty if you are righteous? Would it be any gain to him if you were perfect? | 3Will it please the Almighty if you are innocent, or does he profit if your life is blameless? |
4Is it because you’re so pious that he accuses you and brings judgment against you? | 4Will he acquit you just because you fear him, and render a verdict on your behalf? |
5No, it’s because of your wickedness! There’s no limit to your sins. | 5Your wickedness is great, isn't it? There's no limit to your iniquity, is there? |
6“For example, you must have lent money to your friend and demanded clothing as security. Yes, you stripped him to the bone. | 6"After all, you've taken collateral from your relatives for no reason; you stripped the naked of their clothing. |
7You must have refused water for the thirsty and food for the hungry. | 7You've neglected to give water to the weary, and you've withheld food from the hungry. |
8You probably think the land belongs to the powerful and only the privileged have a right to it! | 8The land belongs to the powerful, and the privileged thrive in it. |
9You must have sent widows away empty-handed and crushed the hopes of orphans. | 9You sent away widows empty-handed, and broke the outstretched arms of orphans. |
10That is why you are surrounded by traps and tremble from sudden fears. | 10That's why disaster surrounds you, terror suddenly overwhelms you, |
11That is why you cannot see in the darkness, and waves of water cover you. | 11you see nothing but darkness, and a flood of troubles drowns you." |
12“God is so great—higher than the heavens, higher than the farthest stars. | 12"Isn't God in heaven above? Consider how far away the stars are, and how lofty they are! |
13But you reply, ‘That’s why God can’t see what I am doing! How can he judge through the thick darkness? | 13You've asked, 'What does God know? Can he sort through pitch black darkness?' |
14For thick clouds swirl about him, and he cannot see us. He is way up there, walking on the vault of heaven.’ | 14Thick clouds cover him so he can't see as he walks back and forth at heaven's horizon. |
15“Will you continue on the old paths where evil people have walked? | 15"Will you keep walking on the traditional path that sinners have tread, |
16They were snatched away in the prime of life, the foundations of their lives washed away. | 16who were snatched away before their time; when their foundation was swept away by a river? |
17For they said to God, ‘Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us?’ | 17They told God, 'Get away from us!' and 'What will the Almighty do to them?' |
18Yet he was the one who filled their homes with good things, so I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking. | 18"Though God fills their houses with good things, the counsel of the wicked will remain far from me. |
19“The righteous will be happy to see the wicked destroyed, and the innocent will laugh in contempt. | 19The righteous will see this and rejoice; the innocent will insult him, saying, |
20They will say, ‘See how our enemies have been destroyed. The last of them have been consumed in the fire.’ | 20Our enemies are sure to be destroyed, and fire will burn up what's left of their riches." |
21“Submit to God, and you will have peace; then things will go well for you. | 21"Get to know God, and you'll be at peace with him, and then prosperity will come to you. |
22Listen to his instructions, and store them in your heart. | 22Accept what he has to teach you, and treasure his words in your heart. |
23If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored— so clean up your life. | 23"If you return to the Almighty you'll be restored, as you remove iniquity from your household. |
24If you give up your lust for money and throw your precious gold into the river, | 24Bury your gold nuggets in the dust, and your source of gold among the stones in a streambed, |
25the Almighty himself will be your treasure. He will be your precious silver! | 25and then the Almighty will be your gold and your refined silver. |
26“Then you will take delight in the Almighty and look up to God. | 26"Then you'll take delight in the Almighty; and will turn your face toward God. |
27You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows to him. | 27You'll entreat him and he'll listen to you as you fulfill your vows. |
28You will succeed in whatever you choose to do, and light will shine on the road ahead of you. | 28When you make a decision on something, it will be established for you, and light will brighten your way. |
29If people are in trouble and you say, ‘Help them,’ God will save them. | 29"For when they're humbled, you may respond; 'It's their pride!' but he delivers the humble. |
30Even sinners will be rescued; they will be rescued because your hands are pure.” | 30He'll even deliver the guilty, who will be delivered through your innocence." |
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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