Eliphaz Says Job Must Repent
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 “Can a mighty aman be of use to God,
Or an insightful man be useful to himself?
3 Is there any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous,
Or profit if you make your ways perfect?
4 Is it because of your reverent fear that He reproves you,
That He aenters into judgment against you?
5 Is not ayour evil great,
And your iniquities without end?
6 For you have ataken pledges of your brothers without cause,
And bstripped the clothing of the naked.
7 To the weary you have agiven no water to drink,
And from the hungry you have bwithheld bread.
8 But the earth abelongs to the bmighty man,
And cthe highly respected man inhabits it.
9 You have sent awidows away empty,
And the might of the borphans has been crushed.
10 Therefore asnares surround you,
And sudden bdread terrifies you,
11 Or adarkness, so that you cannot see,
And an babundance of water covers you.
12 “Is not God ain the height of heaven?
Look also at the distant stars, how high they are!
13 You say, ‘aWhat does God know?
Can He judge through the dense gloom?
14 aClouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see;
And He walks on the vault of heaven.’
15 Will you keep to the ancient path
Which awicked men have trod,
16 Who were snatched away abefore their time,
Whose bfoundations were washed away by a river?
17 They asaid to God, ‘Depart from us!’
And ‘What can the Almighty do to them?’
18 Yet He afilled their houses with good things,
But bthe counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 The arighteous see and are glad,
And the innocent mock them,
20 Saying, ‘Truly those who rise against us are wiped out,
And their abundance athe fire has consumed.’
21 “aYield now and be at peace with Him;
Thereby good will come to you.
22 Please receive ainstruction from His mouth
And set His words in your heart.
23 If you areturn to the Almighty, you will be restored;
If you bremove unrighteousness far from your tent,
24 And aput your gold in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,
25 Then the Almighty will be your gold
And choice silver to you.
26 For then you will adelight in the Almighty
And lift up your face to God.
27 You will aentreat Him, and bHe will hear you;
And you will pay your vows.
28 You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you;
And alight will shine on your ways.
29 When some are cast down, you will speak with confidence,
And the ahumble person He will save.
30 He will provide escape for one who is not innocent,
And he will aescape through the cleanness of your hands.”