English Standard Version ESV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
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Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
2 “Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
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"Can a mortal be of use to God? Can even the wisest be of service to him?
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are in the right, or is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?
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Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous, or is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?
4 Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you and enters into judgment with you?
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Is it for your piety that he reproves you, and enters into judgment with you?
5 Is not your evil abundant? There is no end to your iniquities.
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Is not your wickedness great? There is no end to your iniquities.
6 For you have exacted pledges of your brothers for nothing and stripped the naked of their clothing.
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For you have exacted pledges from your family for no reason, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 You have given no water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
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You have given no water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
8 The man with power possessed the land, and the favored man lived in it.
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The powerful possess the land, and the favored live in it.
9 You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless were crushed.
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You have sent widows away empty-handed, and the arms of the orphans you have crushed.
10 Therefore snares are all around you, and sudden terror overwhelms you,
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Therefore snares are around you, and sudden terror overwhelms you,
11 or darkness, so that you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.
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or darkness so that you cannot see; a flood of water covers you.
12 “Is not God high in the heavens? See the highest stars, how lofty they are!
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"Is not God high in the heavens? See the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 But you say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the deep darkness?
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Therefore you say, "What does God know? Can he judge through the deep darkness?
14 Thick clouds veil him, so that he does not see, and he walks on the vault of heaven. ’
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Thick clouds enwrap him, so that he does not see, and he walks on the dome of heaven.'
15 Will you keep to the old way that wicked men have trod?
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Will you keep to the old way that the wicked have trod?
16 They were snatched away before their time; their foundation was washed away.
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They were snatched away before their time; their foundation was washed away by a flood.
17 They said to God, ‘Depart from us, ’and ‘What can the Almighty do to us? ’
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They said to God, "Leave us alone,' and "What can the Almighty do to us?'
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things—but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
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Yet he filled their houses with good things— but the plans of the wicked are repugnant to me.
19 The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent one mocks at them,
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The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent laugh them to scorn,
20 saying, ‘Surely our adversaries are cut off, and what they left the fire has consumed. ’
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saying, "Surely our adversaries are cut off, and what they left, the fire has consumed.'
21 “Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you.
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"Agree with God, and be at peace; in this way good will come to you.
22 Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
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Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty you will be built up; if you remove injustice far from your tents,
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If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored, if you remove unrighteousness from your tents,
24 if you lay gold in the dust, and gold of Ophir among the stones of the torrent-bed,
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if you treat gold like dust, and gold of Ophir like the stones of the torrent-bed,
25 then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver.
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and if the Almighty is your gold and your precious silver,
26 For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
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then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and lift up your face to God.
27 You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you, and you will pay your vows.
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You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will pay your vows.
28 You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.
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You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.
29 For when they are humbled you say, ‘It is because of pride’; but he saves the lowly.
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When others are humiliated, you say it is pride; for he saves the humble.
30 He delivers even the one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands. ”
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He will deliver even those who are guilty; they will escape because of the cleanness of your hands."
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.