The Bible in Basic English BBE
Orthodox Jewish Bible OJB
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said,
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2 Then Eliphaz of Teman answered and said,
2 Is it possible for a man to be of profit to God? No, for a man's wisdom is only of profit to himself.
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Can a gever be profitable unto El, as he that has seichel may be profitable unto himself?
3 Is it of any interest to the Ruler of all that you are upright? or is it of use to him that your ways are without sin?
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Is it any pleasure to Shaddai, that thou art tzaddik? Or is it gain to Him, that thou makest thy ways blameless?
4 Is it because you give him honour that he is sending punishment on you and is judging you?
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Is it for thy yireh [Elohim] that He reproves thee? Will He enter with thee into mishpat?
5 Is not your evil-doing great? and there is no end to your sins.
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Is not thy rah great? And thine avonot infinite?
6 For you have taken your brother's goods when he was not in your debt, and have taken away the clothing of those who have need of it.
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For thou hast exacted a pledge from thy brother for naught, and stripped the arummim (naked ones) of their clothing.
7 You do not give water to the tired traveller, and from him who has no food you keep back bread.
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Thou hast not given mayim to the weary to drink, and thou hast withheld lechem from the hungry.
8 For it was the man with power who had the land, and the man with an honoured name who was living in it.
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But as for the ish zeroa (mighty man), his is ha’aretz; and the honorable man dwelt therein.
9 You have sent widows away without hearing their cause, and you have taken away the support of the child who has no father.
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Thou hast sent almanot away empty, and the arms of the yetomim have been broken.
10 For this cause nets are round your feet, and you are overcome with sudden fear.
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Therefore pachim (snares) are around thee, and sudden pachad troubleth thee;
11 Your light is made dark so that you are unable to see, and you are covered by a mass of waters.
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Or choshech, that thou canst not see; and overflow of mayim cover thee.
12 Is not God as high as heaven? and see the stars, how high they are!
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Is not Eloah in the height of Shomayim? And hinei the rosh kokhavim, how high they are!
13 And you say, What knowledge has God? is he able to give decisions through the deep dark?
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And thou sayest, How doth El know? Can He judge through the thick cloud?
14 Thick clouds are covering him, so that he is unable to see; and he is walking on the arch of heaven.
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Thick clouds veil Him, that He seeth not; and He walketh in the vault of Shomayim.
15 Will you keep the old way by which evil men went?
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Wilt thou note the orach olam which wicked men have trodden?
16 Who were violently taken away before their time, who were overcome by the rush of waters:
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Who were cut down before their time, whose yesod was overflown with a flood;
17 Who said to God, Go away from us; and, What is the Ruler of all able to do to us?
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Who said unto El, Depart from us; and what can Shaddai do to them?
18 Though he made their houses full of good things: but the purpose of the evil-doers is far from me!
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Yet He filled their batim (houses) with tov; but the etza (counsel) of the resha’im is far from me.
19 The upright saw it and were glad: and those who had done no wrong made sport of them,
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The tzaddikim see it, and are glad, and the naki (innocent) laugh them to scorn.
20 Saying, Truly, their substance is cut off, and their wealth is food for the fire.
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Verily our foe is destroyed, and the abundance of them the eish consumeth.
21 Put yourself now in a right relation with him and be at peace: so will you do well in your undertakings.
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Acquaint now thyself with Him, and so hast thou shalom; thereby tovah shall come unto thee.
22 Be pleased to take teaching from his mouth, and let his words be stored up in your heart.
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Receive, now, torah from His mouth, and lay up His words in thine lev.
23 If you come back to the Ruler of all, making yourself low before him; if you put evil far away from your tents;
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If thou return to Shaddai, thou shalt be restored; if thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy ohalim;
24 And put your gold in the dust, even your gold of Ophir among the rocks of the valleys;
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Then shalt thou lay up gold as aphar, and that of Ophir as the tzur of the brooks.
25 Then the Ruler of all will be your gold, and his teaching will be your silver;
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Yea, Shaddai shall be thy gold, and thy precious kesef.
26 For then you will have delight in the Ruler of all, and your face will be lifted up to God.
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For then shalt thou have thy delight in Shaddai, and shalt lift up thy face unto Eloah.
27 You will make your prayer to him, and be answered; and you will give effect to your oaths.
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Thou shalt make thy prayer unto Him, and He shall hear thee, and thou shalt fulfill thy nederim.
28 Your purposes will come about, and light will be shining on your ways.
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Thou shalt also decide a matter, and it shall be established unto thee, and the ohr shall shine upon thy ways.
29 For God makes low those whose hearts are lifted up, but he is a saviour to the poor in spirit.
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When they are cast down, thou shalt say, Arise, and He shall save the one with low eynayim (i.e., humility).
30 He makes safe the man who is free from sin, and if your hands are clean, salvation will be yours.
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He shall deliver even the guilty; and he is delivered by the bar (cleanness) of thine hands.
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The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.