• Eliphaz Accuses Job of Wickedness

  • 1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
  • 2 “Can a man be profitable to God, Though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?
  • 3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or is it gain to Him that you make your ways blameless?
  • 4 “Is it because of your fear of Him that He corrects you, And enters into judgment with you?
  • 5 Is not your wickedness great, And your iniquity without end?
  • 6 For you have taken pledges from your brother for no reason, And stripped the naked of their clothing.
  • 7 You have not given the weary water to drink, And you have withheld bread from the hungry.
  • 8 But the mighty man possessed the land, And the honorable man dwelt in it.
  • 9 You have sent widows away empty, And the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
  • 10 Therefore snares are all around you, And sudden fear troubles you,
  • 11 Or darkness so that you cannot see; And an abundance of water covers you.
  • 12 “Is not God in the height of heaven? And see the highest stars, how lofty they are!
  • 13 And you say, ‘What does God know? Can He judge through the deep darkness?
  • 14 Thick clouds cover Him, so that He cannot see, And He walks above the circle of heaven.’
  • 15 Will you keep to the old way Which wicked men have trod,
  • 16 Who were cut down before their time, Whose foundations were swept away by a flood?
  • 17 They said to God, ‘Depart from us! What can the Almighty do to them?’
  • 18 Yet He filled their houses with good things; But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
  • 19 “The righteous see it and are glad, And the innocent laugh at them:
  • 20 ‘Surely our adversaries are cut down, And the fire consumes their remnant.’
  • 21 “Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace; Thereby good will come to you.
  • 22 Receive, please, instruction from His mouth, And lay up His words in your heart.
  • 23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; You will remove iniquity far from your tents.
  • 24 Then you will lay your gold in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
  • 25 Yes, the Almighty will be your gold And your precious silver;
  • 26 For then you will have your delight in the Almighty, And lift up your face to God.
  • 27 You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you, And you will pay your vows.
  • 28 You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways.
  • 29 When they cast you down, and you say, ‘Exaltation will come!’ Then He will save the humble person.
  • 30 He will even deliver one who is not innocent; Yes, he will be delivered by the purity of your hands.”