- Then Eliphaz the Themanite responded by saying
- Can man be compared with God, even if he were perfect in knowledge
- What advantage is it to God, if you were just? Or what do you provide for him, if your way should be immaculate
- Will he reprove you and take you to judgment for being afraid
- and not because of your many evil deeds and your infinite unfairness
- For you have taken away the collateral of your brothers without cause, and stripped them naked of their clothing
- You have not given water to the weary; you have taken bread away from the hungry
- By the strength of your arm, you took possession of the land, and you retain it by being the strongest
- You have sent widows away empty, and you have crushed the shoulders of orphans
- Because of this, you are surrounded by traps, and unexpected fears will disturb you
- And did you think that you would not see darkness and that you were not to be overwhelmed by the on-rush of overflowing waters
- Have you not considered that God is higher than the heavens and is lifted above the height of the stars
- And you say: “Well, what does God know?” and, “He judges, as if through a fog,
- and, “The clouds are his hiding-place,” and, “He does not examine us closely,” and, “He makes his rounds at the limits of the heavens.
- Do you not want to tend the path of the ages, which wicked men have spurned
- These were taken away before their time, and a flood overthrew their foundation
- They said to God, “Withdraw from us,” and they treated the Almighty as if he could do nothing
- though he had filled their houses with good things. May their way of thinking be far from me
- The just will see and will rejoice, and the innocent will mock them
- Has not their haughtiness been cut down, and has not fire devoured the remnants of them
- So, repose yourself with him and be at peace, and, in this way, you will have the best fruits
- Accept the law from his mouth, and place his words in your heart
- If you will return to the Almighty, you will be rebuilt, and you will put sinfulness far from your tabernacle
- He will give you stone in place of dirt, and torrents of gold in place of stone
- And the Almighty will be against your enemies, and silver will be gathered together for you
- Then will you flock together in delight over the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God
- You will plead with him, and he will listen to you, and you will pay your vows
- You will decide on something, and it will come to you, and the light will shine in your ways
- For he who had been humbled, will be in glory; and he who will lower his eyes, will be the one saved
- The innocent will be saved, and he will be saved with purity in his hands