New International Version NIV
Young's Literal Translation YLT
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
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And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: --
2 “Can a man be of benefit to God? Can even a wise person benefit him?
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To God is a man profitable, Because a wise man to himself is profitable?
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 a delight to the Mighty One That thou art righteous? is it gain, That thou makest perfect thy ways?
4 “Is it for your piety that he rebukes you and brings charges against you?
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Because of thy reverence Doth He reason [with] thee? He entereth with thee into judgment:
5 Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless?
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Is not thy wickedness abundant? And there is no end to thine iniquities.
6 You demanded security from your relatives for no reason; you stripped people of their clothing, leaving them naked.
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For thou takest a pledge of thy brother for nought, And the garments of the naked Thou dost strip off.
7 You gave no water to the weary and you withheld food from the hungry,
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Thou causest not the weary to drink water, And from the hungry thou withholdest bread.
8 though you were a powerful man, owning land— an honored man, living on it.
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As to the man of arm -- he hath the earth, And the accepted of face -- he dwelleth in it.
9 And you sent widows away empty-handed and broke the strength of the fatherless.
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Widows thou hast sent away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.
10 That is why snares are all around you, why sudden peril terrifies you,
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Therefore round about thee [are] snares, And trouble thee doth fear suddenly.
11 why it is so dark you cannot see, and why a flood of water covers you.
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Or darkness -- thou dost not see, And abundance of waters doth cover thee.
12 “Is not God in the heights of heaven? And see how lofty are the highest stars!
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Is not God high [in] heaven? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high.
13 Yet you say, ‘What does God know? Does he judge through such darkness?
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And thou hast said, `What -- hath God known? Through thickness doth He judge?
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 [are] a secret place to Him, And He doth not see;' And the circle of the heavens He walketh habitually,
15 Will you keep to the old path that the wicked have trod?
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The path of the age dost thou observe, That men of iniquity have trodden?
16 They were carried off before their time, their foundations washed away by a flood.
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Who have been cut down unexpectedly, A flood is poured out on their foundation.
17 They said to God, ‘Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us?’
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Those saying to God, `Turn aside from us,' And what doth the Mighty One 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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And he hath filled their houses [with] good: (And the counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)
19 The righteous see their ruin and rejoice; the innocent mock them, saying,
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See do the righteous and they rejoice, And the innocent mocketh at them,
20 ‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire devours their wealth.’
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`Surely our substance hath not been cut off, And their excellency hath fire consumed.'
21 “Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.
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Acquaint thyself, I pray thee, with Him, And be at peace, Thereby thine increase [is] good.
22 Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart.
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Receive, I pray thee, from His mouth a law, And set His sayings in thy 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 thou dost return unto the Mighty Thou art built up, Thou puttest iniquity far from thy tents.
24 and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines,
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So as to set on the dust a defence, And on a rock of the valleys a covering.
25 then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you.
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And the Mighty hath been thy defence, And silver [is] strength to thee.
26 Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God.
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For then on the Mighty thou delightest thyself, And dost lift up unto God thy face,
27 You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
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Thou dost make supplication unto Him, And He doth hear thee, And thy vows thou completest.
28 What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways.
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And thou decreest a saying, And it is established to thee, And on thy ways hath light shone.
29 When people are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then he will save the downcast.
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For they have made low, And thou sayest, `Lift up.' And the bowed down of eyes he saveth.
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 delivereth the not innocent, Yea, he hath been delivered By the cleanness of thy 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.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.