¶ Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

Can a man¹ be profitable unto God, as he that² is wise may be profitable unto himself?

Is it any pleasure³ to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest⁴ thy ways perfect?

Will he reprove⁵ thee for fear⁶ of thee? will he enter⁷ with thee into judgment?

¶ Is not thy⁸ wickedness great? and thine⁹ iniquities infinite?

For thou¹⁰ hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped¹¹ the naked of their clothing.

Thou hast not given¹² water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.

But as¹³ for the mighty man¹⁴, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.

Thou hast sent widows¹⁵ away empty, and the arms¹⁶ of the fatherless have been broken.

¶ Therefore snares¹⁷ are round about thee, and sudden¹⁸ fear troubleth thee;

Or darkness¹⁹, that thou canst not see; and abundance²⁰ of waters cover thee.

Is not God²¹ in the height²² of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

And thou sayest, How²³ doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?

²⁴Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.

¶ Hast thou marked the old way²⁵ which wicked men have trodden?

Which were cut down²⁶ out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood²⁷:

Which said unto God, Depart²⁸ from us: and what²⁹ can the Almighty do for them³⁰?

Yet he filled³¹ their houses with good things: but the counsel³² of the wicked is far from me.

The righteous³³ see it, and are glad: and the innocent³⁴ laugh them to scorn.

¶ Whereas our substance³⁵ is not cut down, but the remnant³⁶ of them the fire consumeth.

¶ Acquaint³⁷ now thyself with him,³⁸ and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

Receive³⁹, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up⁴⁰ his words in thine heart.

If thou return⁴¹ to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up⁴², thou shalt⁴³ put⁴⁴ away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.

Then shalt thou lay up⁴⁵ gold as dust⁴⁶, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.

Yea, the Almighty⁴⁷ shall be thy defence⁴⁸, and thou shalt have plenty of silver⁴⁹.

For then shalt thou⁵⁰ have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up⁵¹ thy face unto God.

Thou shalt make thy⁵² prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy⁵³ vows.

Thou shalt also decree⁵⁴ a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light⁵⁵ shall shine upon thy ways.

When men⁵⁶ are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall⁵⁷ save the humble person⁵⁸.

¶ He shall deliver the island of the innocent⁵⁹: and it is delivered by the pureness⁶⁰ of thine hands.