1. Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2. "Can a man be of use to God? Can a wise man be of use to himself?
3. Is the All-powerful pleased if you are right and good? Is it of any use to Him if your ways were perfect?
4. Is it because of how you honor God that He speaks strong words to you and punishes you?
5. Have you not done much wrong and your sins have no end?
6. For you have taken things from your brothers when they did not owe you anything. You have taken all their clothing and they have had nothing to wear.
7. To those who were tired, you have given no water to drink. And you have kept bread from the hungry.
8. But you were a powerful and respected man owning land and living on it.
9. You have sent women away with nothing, whose husbands have died. And you have crushed the strength of children who have no parents.
10. So traps are all around you, and much fear comes upon you all at once.
11. This is why it is dark and you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.
12. "Is not God high up in heaven? See the highest stars, how high they are!
13. So you say, 'What does God know? Can He judge through the darkness?
14. Clouds cover Him so that He cannot see. He walks on the roof of heaven.'
15. Will you keep to the old way which sinful men have walked?
16. They were taken away before their time. The ground they stood on was washed away by a river.
17. They said to God, 'Leave us!' and 'What can the All-powerful do to us?'
18. Yet He filled their houses with good things. But the wisdom of the sinful is far from me.
19. Those who are right and good see it and are glad. Those who are without guilt make fun of them,
20. saying, 'For sure those who hate us are destroyed, and fire has destroyed what they owned.'
21. "Agree with God, and be at peace with Him. Then good will come to you.
22. Receive the teaching from His mouth, and keep His words in your heart.
23. If you return to the Allpowerful, things will be well with you again. Put sin far from your tent.
24. Put your gold in the dust, and gold of Ophir among the stones of the river.
25. Then the All-powerful will be your gold and silver of much worth.
26. Then you will have joy in the Allpowerful, and lift up your face to God.
27. You will pray to Him, and He will hear you. And you will keep your promises to Him.
28. You will decide something, and it will be done for you. Light will shine on your path.
29. For God puts down the man who is filled with pride. But He saves the one who is not proud.
30. He will save the man who is even guilty because he will be helped by your hands that are clean."