Job - The Old Testament

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.