Books of The Bible / Book of Job
1 Eliphaz of Teman spoke next. He said:
2 Can a human being contribute anything to God, when even someone intelligent can benefit only himself?
3 Does Shaddai derive any benefit from your uprightness, or profit from your blameless conduct?
4 Do you think he is punishing you for your piety and bringing you to justice for that?
5 No, for your great wickedness, more likely, for your unlimited sins!
6 You have exacted unearned pledges from your brothers, stripped people naked of their clothes,
7 failed to give water to the thirsty and refused bread to the hungry;
8 handed the land over to a strong man, for some favoured person to move in,
9 sent widows away empty-handed and crushed the arms of orphans.
10 No wonder, then, if snares are all around you, and sudden terrors make you afraid;
11 if light has turned to darkness, so that you cannot see, and you have been submerged in the flood.
12 Does not God live high in the heavens, does he not see the zenith of the stars?
13 And because he is up there, you have said, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the dark cloud?
14 The clouds, to him, are an impenetrable veil, as he goes his way on the rim of the heavens.’
15 And will you still follow the ancient trail trodden by the wicked,
16 those who were borne off before their time, whose foundations were swamped by a flood,
17 for having said to God, ‘Go away! What can Shaddai do to us?’
18 Yet he himself had filled their houses with good things, although excluded from the plans of the wicked!
19 At such a spectacle, the upright rejoice, and the innocent deride them:
20 ‘See how our enemies have been destroyed! See how their wealth has perished in the flames!’
21 Well then! Make peace with him, be reconciled, and all your happiness will be restored to you.
22 Welcome the teaching from his lips, and keep his words close to your heart.
23 If you return, humbled, to Shaddai and drive wickedness far from your tent,
24 if you lay your gold down on the dust, Ophir down among the pebbles of the torrent,
25 Shaddai will be bars of gold to you and silver piled in heaps.
26 Then Shaddai will be all your delight, and you will lift your face to God.
27 You will pray, and he will hear; and you will be able to fulfil your vows.
28 Whatever you undertake will go well, and light will shine on your path;
29 for he casts down the pride of the arrogant, but he saves those of downcast eyes.
30 He rescues anyone who is innocent; have your hands clean, and you will be saved.