Eliphaz: Can a Man Be of Use to God? 1 CPDV Then Eliphaz the Themanite responded by saying: BSB BSB: Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 CPDV Can man be compared with God, even if he were perfect in knowledge? BSB BSB: “Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him?
3 CPDV What advantage is it to God, if you were just? Or what do you provide for him, if your way should be immaculate? BSB BSB: Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous? Does He profit if your ways are blameless?
4 CPDV Will he reprove you and take you to judgment for being afraid, BSB BSB: Is it for your reverence that He rebukes you and enters into judgment against you?
5 CPDV and not because of your many evil deeds and your infinite unfairness? BSB BSB: Is not your wickedness great? Are not your iniquities endless?
6 CPDV For you have taken away the collateral of your brothers without cause, and stripped them naked of their clothing. BSB BSB: For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers and deprived the naked of their clothing.
7 CPDV You have not given water to the weary; you have taken bread away from the hungry. BSB BSB: You gave no water to the weary and withheld food from the famished,
8 CPDV By the strength of your arm, you took possession of the land, and you retain it by being the strongest. BSB BSB: while the land belonged to a mighty man, and a man of honor lived on it.
9 CPDV You have sent widows away empty, and you have crushed the shoulders of orphans. BSB BSB: You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
10 CPDV Because of this, you are surrounded by traps, and unexpected fears will disturb you. BSB BSB: Therefore snares surround you, and sudden peril terrifies you;
11 CPDV And did you think that you would not see darkness and that you were not to be overwhelmed by the onrush of overflowing waters? BSB BSB: it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.
12 CPDV Have you not considered that God is higher than the heavens and is lifted above the height of the stars? BSB BSB: Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 CPDV And you say: “Well, what does God know?” and, “He judges, as if through a fog,” BSB BSB: Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?
14 CPDV 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.” BSB BSB: Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us as He traverses the vault of heaven.’
15 CPDV Do you not want to tend the path of the ages, which wicked men have spurned? BSB BSB: Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod?
16 CPDV These were taken away before their time, and a flood overthrew their foundation. BSB BSB: They were snatched away before their time, and their foundations were swept away by a flood.
17 CPDV They said to God, “Withdraw from us,” and they treated the Almighty as if he could do nothing, BSB BSB: They said to God, ‘Depart from us. What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 CPDV though he had filled their houses with good things. May their way of thinking be far from me. BSB BSB: But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
19 CPDV The just will see and will rejoice, and the innocent will mock them. BSB BSB: The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent mock them:
20 CPDV Has not their haughtiness been cut down, and has not fire devoured the remnants of them? BSB BSB: ‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’
21 CPDV So, repose yourself with him and be at peace, and, in this way, you will have the best fruits. BSB BSB: Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.
22 CPDV Accept the law from his mouth, and place his words in your heart. BSB BSB: Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.
23 CPDV If you will return to the Almighty, you will be rebuilt, and you will put sinfulness far from your tabernacle. BSB BSB: If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents
24 CPDV He will give you stone in place of dirt, and torrents of gold in place of stone. BSB BSB: and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,
25 CPDV And the Almighty will be against your enemies, and silver will be gathered together for you. BSB BSB: then the Almighty will be your gold and the finest silver for you.
26 CPDV Then will you flock together in delight over the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God. BSB BSB: Surely then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
27 CPDV You will plead with him, and he will listen to you, and you will pay your vows. BSB BSB: You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
28 CPDV You will decide on something, and it will come to you, and the light will shine in your ways. BSB BSB: Your decisions will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways.
29 CPDV For he who had been humbled, will be in glory; and he who will lower his eyes, will be the one saved. BSB BSB: When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the lowly.
30 CPDV The innocent will be saved, and he will be saved with purity in his hands. BSB BSB: He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.