1 Then Eliphaz the Themanite responded by saying 2 Can man be compared with God, even if he were perfect in knowledge 3 What advantage is it to God, if you were just? Or what do you provide for him, if your way should be immaculate 4 Will he reprove you and take you to judgment for being afraid 5 and not because of your many evil deeds and your infinite unfairness 6 For you have taken away the collateral of your brothers without cause, and stripped them naked of their clothing 7 You have not given water to the weary; you have taken bread away from the hungry 8 By the strength of your arm, you took possession of the land, and you retain it by being the strongest 9 You have sent widows away empty, and you have crushed the shoulders of orphans 10 Because of this, you are surrounded by traps, and unexpected fears will disturb you 11 And did you think that you would not see darkness and that you were not to be overwhelmed by the on-rush of overflowing waters 12 Have you not considered that God is higher than the heavens and is lifted above the height of the stars 13 And you say: "Well, what does God know?" and, "He judges, as if through a fog, 14 and, "The clouds are his hiding-place," and, "He does not examine us closely," and, "He makes his rounds at the limits of the heavens. 15 Do you not want to tend the path of the ages, which wicked men have spurned 16 These were taken away before their time, and a flood overthrew their foundation 17 They said to God, "Withdraw from us," and they treated the Almighty as if he could do nothing 18 though he had filled their houses with good things. May their way of thinking be far from me 19 The just will see and will rejoice, and the innocent will mock them 20 Has not their haughtiness been cut down, and has not fire devoured the remnants of them 21 So, repose yourself with him and be at peace, and, in this way, you will have the best fruits 22 Accept the law from his mouth, and place his words in your heart 23 If you will return to the Almighty, you will be rebuilt, and you will put sinfulness far from your tabernacle 24 He will give you stone in place of dirt, and torrents of gold in place of stone 25 And the Almighty will be against your enemies, and silver will be gathered together for you 26 Then will you flock together in delight over the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God 27 You will plead with him, and he will listen to you, and you will pay your vows 28 You will decide on something, and it will come to you, and the light will shine in your ways 29 For he who had been humbled, will be in glory; and he who will lower his eyes, will be the one saved 30 The innocent will be saved, and he will be saved with purity in his hands
