1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said,

1 וַ֭יַּעַן אֱלִיפַ֥ז הַֽתֵּמָנִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2 Is it possible for a man to be of profit to God? No, for a man's wisdom is only of profit to himself.

2 הַלְאֵ֥ל יִסְכָּן־גָּ֑בֶר כִּֽי־יִסְכֹּ֖ן עָלֵ֣ימֹו מַשְׂכִּֽיל׃

3 Is it of any interest to the Ruler of all that you are upright? or is it of use to him that your ways are without sin?

3 הַחֵ֣פֶץ לְ֭שַׁדַּי כִּ֣י תִצְדָּ֑ק וְאִם־בֶּ֝֗צַע כִּֽי־תַתֵּ֥ם דְּרָכֶֽיךָ׃

4 Is it because you give him honour that he is sending punishment on you and is judging you?

4 הֲֽ֭מִיִּרְאָ֣תְךָ יֹכִיחֶ֑ךָ יָבֹ֥וא עִ֝מְּךָ֗ בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃

5 Is not your evil-doing great? and there is no end to your sins.

5 הֲלֹ֣א רָעָֽתְךָ֣ רַבָּ֑ה וְאֵֽין־קֵ֝֗ץ לַעֲוֹנֹתֶֽיךָ׃

6 For you have taken your brother's goods when he was not in your debt, and have taken away the clothing of those who have need of it.

6 כִּֽי־תַחְבֹּ֣ל אַחֶ֣יךָ חִנָּ֑ם וּבִגְדֵ֖י עֲרוּמִּ֣ים תַּפְשִֽׁיט׃

7 You do not give water to the tired traveller, and from him who has no food you keep back bread.

7 לֹא־מַ֭יִם עָיֵ֣ף תַּשְׁקֶ֑ה וּ֝מֵרָעֵ֗ב תִּֽמְנַֽע־לָֽחֶם׃

8 For it was the man with power who had the land, and the man with an honoured name who was living in it.

8 וְאִ֣ישׁ זְ֭רֹועַ לֹ֣ו הָאָ֑רֶץ וּנְשׂ֥וּא פָ֝נִ֗ים יֵ֣שֶׁב בָּֽהּ׃

9 You have sent widows away without hearing their cause, and you have taken away the support of the child who has no father.

9 אַ֭לְמָנֹות שִׁלַּ֣חְתָּ רֵיקָ֑ם וּזְרֹעֹ֖ות יְתֹמִ֣ים יְדֻכָּֽא׃

10 For this cause nets are round your feet, and you are overcome with sudden fear.

10 עַל־כֵּ֭ן סְבִיבֹותֶ֣יךָ פַחִ֑ים וִֽ֝יבַהֶלְךָ פַּ֣חַד פִּתְאֹֽם׃

11 Your light is made dark so that you are unable to see, and you are covered by a mass of waters.

11 אֹו־חֹ֥שֶׁךְ לֹֽא־תִרְאֶ֑ה וְֽשִׁפְעַת־מַ֥יִם תְּכַסֶּֽךָּ׃

12 Is not God as high as heaven? and see the stars, how high they are!

12 הֲ‍ֽלֹא־אֱ֭לֹוהַּ גֹּ֣בַהּ שָׁמָ֑יִם וּרְאֵ֤ה רֹ֖אשׁ³ כֹּוכָבִ֣ים כִּי־רָֽמּוּ׃

13 And you say, What knowledge has God? is he able to give decisions through the deep dark?

13 וְֽ֭אָמַרְתָּ מַה־יָּ֣דַֽע אֵ֑ל הַבְעַ֖ד עֲרָפֶ֣ל יִשְׁפֹּֽוט׃

14 Thick clouds are covering him, so that he is unable to see; and he is walking on the arch of heaven.

14 עָבִ֣ים סֵֽתֶר־לֹ֖ו וְלֹ֣א יִרְאֶ֑ה וְח֥וּג מַ֗יִם יִתְהַלָּֽךְ׃

15 Will you keep the old way by which evil men went?

15 הַאֹ֣רַח עֹולָ֣ם תִּשְׁמֹ֑ר אֲשֶׁ֖ר דָּרְכ֣וּ מְתֵי־אָֽוֶן׃

16 Who were violently taken away before their time, who were overcome by the rush of waters:

16 אֲשֶֽׁר־קֻמְּט֥וּ וְלֹא־עֵ֑ת נָ֝הָ֗ר יוּצַ֥ק יְסֹודָֽם׃

17 Who said to God, Go away from us; and, What is the Ruler of all able to do to us?

17 הָאֹמְרִ֣ים לָ֭אֵל ס֣וּר מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וּמַה־יִּפְעַ֖ל שַׁדַּ֣י לָֽמֹו׃

18 Though he made their houses full of good things: but the purpose of the evil-doers is far from me!

18 וְה֤וּא מִלֵּ֣א בָתֵּיהֶ֣ם טֹ֑וב וַעֲצַ֥ת רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים רָ֣חֲקָה מֶֽנִּי׃

19 The upright saw it and were glad: and those who had done no wrong made sport of them,

19 יִרְא֣וּ צַדִּיקִ֣ים וְיִשְׂמָ֑חוּ וְ֝נָקִ֗י יִלְעַג־לָֽמֹו׃

20 Saying, Truly, their substance is cut off, and their wealth is food for the fire.

20 אִם־לֹ֣א נִכְחַ֣ד קִימָ֑נוּ וְ֝יִתְרָ֗ם אָ֣כְלָה אֵֽשׁ׃

21 Put yourself now in a right relation with him and be at peace: so will you do well in your undertakings.

21 הַסְכֶּן־נָ֣א עִמֹּ֑ו וּשְׁלם¹ בָּ֝הֶ֗ם תְּֽבֹואַתְךָ֥³ טֹובָֽה׃

22 Be pleased to take teaching from his mouth, and let his words be stored up in your heart.

22 קַח־נָ֣א מִפִּ֣יו תֹּורָ֑ה וְשִׂ֥ים אֲ֝מָרָ֗יו בִּלְבָבֶֽךָ׃

23 If you come back to the Ruler of all, making yourself low before him; if you put evil far away from your tents;

23 אִם־תָּשׁ֣וּב עַדשַ֭־דַּי תִּבָּנֶ֑ה תַּרְחִ֥יק עַ֝וְלָ֗ה מֵאָהֳלֶֽךָ׃

24 And put your gold in the dust, even your gold of Ophir among the rocks of the valleys;

24 וְשִׁית־עַל־עָפָ֥ר בָּ֑צֶר וּבְצ֖וּר נְחָלִ֣ים אֹופִֽיר׃

25 Then the Ruler of all will be your gold, and his teaching will be your silver;

25 וְהָיָ֣ה שַׁדַּ֣י בְּצָרֶ֑יךָ וְכֶ֖סֶף תֹּועָפֹ֣ות לָֽךְ׃

26 For then you will have delight in the Ruler of all, and your face will be lifted up to God.

26 כִּי־אָ֭ז עַל־שַׁדַּ֣י תִּתְעַנָּ֑ג וְתִשָּׂ֖א אֶל־אֱלֹ֣והַּ פָּנֶֽיךָ׃

27 You will make your prayer to him, and be answered; and you will give effect to your oaths.

27 תַּעְתִּ֣יר אֵ֭לָיו וְיִשְׁמָעֶ֑ךָּ וּנְדָרֶ֥יךָ תְשַׁלֵּֽם׃

28 Your purposes will come about, and light will be shining on your ways.

28 וְֽתִגְזַר־אֹ֖ומֶר וְיָ֣קָם לָ֑ךְ וְעַל־דְּ֝רָכֶ֗יךָ נָ֣גַֽהּ אֹֽור׃

29 For God makes low those whose hearts are lifted up, but he is a saviour to the poor in spirit.

29 כִּֽי־הִ֭שְׁפִּילוּ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר גֵּוָ֑ה וְשַׁ֖ח עֵינַ֣יִם יֹושִֽׁעַ׃

30 He makes safe the man who is free from sin, and if your hands are clean, salvation will be yours.

30 יְֽמַלֵּ֥ט¹ אִֽי־נָקִ֑י וְ֝נִמְלַ֗ט בְּבֹ֣ר כַּפֶּֽיךָ׃