1 Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said, 2 Can a man be serviceable unto God? Truly the intelligent is serviceable unto himself. 3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous? or is it any gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect? 4 Is it out of fear of thee that he will reproach thee? or go with thee into judgment? 5 Is not thy evil great? and no end to thy iniquities? 6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brothers for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing. 7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and from the hungry thou hast withholden bread. 8 But as for the man of a strong arm, he obtained the land, and the highly honored could dwell therein. 9 Widows hast thou sent away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken. 10 Therefore are snares round about thee, and sudden dread terrifieth thee. 11 Or seest thou not the darkness? and the abundance of water which covereth thee? 12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and beholding the highest elevation of the stars, however high they are? 13 But thou sayest, “What doth God know? can he judge behind the darkness? 14 Thick clouds are a covering for him, so that he will not see; and he walketh along on the circle of heaven.” 15 Wilt thou [thus] observe the path of ancient times which the men of injustice have trodden? 16 Who were shrivelled up before their time, whose foundation was flooded away like a river; 17 Who said unto God, “'Depart from us:” and what wrought the Almighty for them? 18 And yet it was he that filled their houses with good things; but the counsel of the wicked be [still] far from me. 19 The righteous will see it, and be glad; and the innocent will laugh them to scorn. 20 “Is not he destroyed that rose up against us, and hath not the fire consumed what they had left?” 21 Do but become acquainted with him, and be at peace: thereby will happiness come unto thee. 22 Do but accept instruction from his mouth, and lay up his saying in thy heart. 23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, so thou wilt but remove wrong-doing far away from thy tents. 24 And throw down in the dust precious metals, and [the gold of] Ophir to the stones of the brooks: 25 Then will the Almighty be thy precious metal, and brightly-shining silver unto thee. 26 For then wilt thou have in the Almighty thy delight, and thou canst lift up unto God thy face. 27 Thou wilt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and thy vows wilt thou pay. 28 And if thou decree a thing, it will be fulfilled unto thee; and upon thy ways the light will shine. 29 For when men are brought low, thou wilt say, Pride [hath done it]; but those of lowly eyes [God] will help. 30 He will even deliver him who is not guiltless: and thou wilt be delivered by the purity of thy hands.

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