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The Third Speech of Eliphaz

22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied,

“Can any person be of benefit to God?
    Can even a wise person be of any help to him?
Job, what pleasure would it give the Mighty One if you were right?
    What would he get if you were completely honest?

“You say you have respect for him.
    Is that why he corrects you?
    Is that why he brings charges against you?
Haven’t you done many evil things?
    Don’t you sin again and again?
You took clothes away from your relatives
    just because they owed you some money.
    You left them naked for no reason at all.
You didn’t give any water to people who were tired.
    You held food back from those who were hungry.
You did it even though you were honored and powerful.
    You owned land and lived on it.
But you sent widows away without anything.
    You mistreated children whose fathers had died.
10 That’s why traps have been set all around you.
    That’s why sudden danger terrifies you.
11 That’s why it’s so dark you can’t even see.
    That’s why a flood covers you up.

12 “Isn’t God in the highest parts of heaven?
    See how high the highest stars are!
13 But you still say, ‘What does God know?
    Can he see through the darkest clouds to judge us?
14 He goes around in the highest heavens.
    Thick clouds keep him from seeing us.’
15 Will you stay on the old path
    that sinful people have walked on?
16 They were carried off even before they died.
    Their foundations were washed away by a flood.
17 They said to God, ‘Leave us alone!
    What can you do to us, you Mighty One?’
18 But he was the one who filled their houses with good things.
    So I don’t pay any attention to the plans of evil people.

19 “Those who do what is right are joyful
    when they see sinners destroyed.
    Those who haven’t done anything wrong make fun of them.
20 They say, ‘Our enemies are completely destroyed.
    Fire has burned up their wealth.’

21 “Job, obey God and be at peace with him.
    Then he will help you succeed.
22 Do what he teaches you to do.
    Keep his words in your heart.
23 If you return to the Mighty One,
    you will have what you had before.
But first you must remove
    everything that is evil far from your tent.
24 You must throw your gold nuggets away.
    You must toss your gold from Ophir into a valley.
25 Then the Mighty One himself will be your gold.
    He’ll be like the finest silver to you.
26 You will find delight in the Mighty One.
    You will honor God and trust in him.
27 You will pray to him, and he will hear you.
    You will keep the promises you made to him.
28 What you decide to do will be done.
    Light will shine on the path you take.
29 When people are brought low you will say, ‘Lift them up!’
    Then God will help them.
30 He’ll even save those who are guilty.
    He’ll save them because your hands are clean.”

Eliphaz

22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite(A) replied:

“Can a man be of benefit to God?(B)
    Can even a wise person benefit him?(C)
What pleasure(D) would it give the Almighty if you were righteous?(E)
    What would he gain if your ways were blameless?(F)

“Is it for your piety that he rebukes you
    and brings charges against you?(G)
Is not your wickedness great?
    Are not your sins(H) endless?(I)
You demanded security(J) from your relatives for no reason;(K)
    you stripped people of their clothing, leaving them naked.(L)
You gave no water(M) to the weary
    and you withheld food from the hungry,(N)
though you were a powerful man, owning land(O)
    an honored man,(P) living on it.(Q)
And you sent widows(R) away empty-handed(S)
    and broke the strength of the fatherless.(T)
10 That is why snares(U) are all around you,(V)
    why sudden peril terrifies you,(W)
11 why it is so dark(X) you cannot see,
    and why a flood of water covers you.(Y)

12 “Is not God in the heights of heaven?(Z)
    And see how lofty are the highest stars!
13 Yet you say, ‘What does God know?(AA)
    Does he judge through such darkness?(AB)
14 Thick clouds(AC) veil him, so he does not see us(AD)
    as he goes about in the vaulted heavens.’(AE)
15 Will you keep to the old path
    that the wicked(AF) have trod?(AG)
16 They were carried off before their time,(AH)
    their foundations(AI) washed away by a flood.(AJ)
17 They said to God, ‘Leave us alone!
    What can the Almighty do to us?’(AK)
18 Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things,(AL)
    so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.(AM)
19 The righteous see their ruin and rejoice;(AN)
    the innocent mock(AO) them, saying,
20 ‘Surely our foes are destroyed,(AP)
    and fire(AQ) devours their wealth.’

21 “Submit to God and be at peace(AR) with him;(AS)
    in this way prosperity will come to you.(AT)
22 Accept instruction from his mouth(AU)
    and lay up his words(AV) in your heart.(AW)
23 If you return(AX) to the Almighty, you will be restored:(AY)
    If you remove wickedness far from your tent(AZ)
24 and assign your nuggets(BA) to the dust,
    your gold(BB) of Ophir(BC) to the rocks in the ravines,(BD)
25 then the Almighty will be your gold,(BE)
    the choicest silver for you.(BF)
26 Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty(BG)
    and will lift up your face(BH) to God.(BI)
27 You will pray to him,(BJ) and he will hear you,(BK)
    and you will fulfill your vows.(BL)
28 What you decide on will be done,(BM)
    and light(BN) will shine on your ways.(BO)
29 When people are brought low(BP) and you say, ‘Lift them up!’
    then he will save the downcast.(BQ)
30 He will deliver even one who is not innocent,(BR)
    who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”(BS)