New International Version NIV
New King James Version NKJV
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
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Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 “Can a man be of benefit to God? Can even a wise person benefit him?
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"Can a man be profitable to God, Though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?
3 What pleasure would it give the Almighty if you were righteous? What would he gain if your ways were blameless?
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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 for your piety that he rebukes you and brings charges against you?
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"Is it because of your fear of Him that He corrects you, And enters into judgment with you?
5 Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless?
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Is not your wickedness great, And your iniquity without end?
6 You demanded security from your relatives for no reason; you stripped people of their clothing, leaving them naked.
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For you have taken pledges from your brother for no reason, And stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 You gave no water to the weary and you withheld food from the hungry,
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You have not given the weary water to drink, And you have withheld bread from the hungry.
8 though you were a powerful man, owning land— an honored man, living on it.
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But the mighty man possessed the land, And the honorable man dwelt in it.
9 And you sent widows away empty-handed and broke the strength of the fatherless.
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You have sent widows away empty, And the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
10 That is why snares are all around you, why sudden peril terrifies you,
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Therefore snares are all around you, And sudden fear troubles you,
11 why it is so dark you cannot see, and why a flood of water covers you.
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Or darkness so that you cannot see; And an abundance of water covers you.
12 “Is not God in the heights of heaven? And see how lofty are the highest stars!
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"Is not God in the height of heaven? And see the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 Yet you say, ‘What does God know? Does he judge through such darkness?
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And you say, 'What does God know? Can He judge through the deep darkness?
14 Thick clouds veil him, so he does not see us as he goes about in the vaulted heavens.’
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Thick clouds cover Him, so that He cannot see, And He walks above the circle of heaven.'
15 Will you keep to the old path that the wicked have trod?
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Will you keep to the old way Which wicked men have trod,
16 They were carried off before their time, their foundations washed away by a flood.
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Who were cut down before their time, Whose foundations were swept away by a flood?
17 They said to God, ‘Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us?’
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They said to God, 'Depart from us! What can the Almighty do to them?'
18 Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things, so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.
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Yet He filled their houses with good things; But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 The righteous see their ruin and rejoice; the innocent mock them, saying,
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"The righteous see it and are glad, And the innocent laugh at them:
20 ‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire devours their wealth.’
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'Surely our adversaries are cut down, And the fire consumes their remnant.'
21 “Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.
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"Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace; Thereby good will come to you.
22 Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart.
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Receive, please, instruction from His mouth, And lay up His words in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness far from your tent
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If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; You will remove iniquity far from your tents.
24 and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines,
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Then you will lay your gold in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
25 then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you.
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Yes, the Almighty will be your gold And your precious silver;
26 Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God.
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For then you will have your delight in the Almighty, And lift up your face to God.
27 You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
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You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you, And you will pay your vows.
28 What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways.
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You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways.
29 When people are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then he will save the downcast.
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When they cast you down, and you say, 'Exaltation will come!' Then He will save the humble person.
30 He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”
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He will even deliver one who is not innocent; Yes, he will be delivered by the purity of your hands."
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.