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22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: 2 Can a man, then, profit God? Behold, the wise man profiteth himself. 3 Is it a pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous; Or a gain to him, that thou walkest uprightly? 4 Will he contend with thee because he feareth thee? Will he enter with thee into judgment? 5 Hath not thy wickedness been great? Have not thine iniquities been numberless? 6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother unjustly, And stripped the poor of their clothing. 7 Thou hast given the weary no water to drink, And withholden bread from the hungry. 8 But the man of power, his was the land, And the honorable man dwelt in it. 9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, And broken the arms of the fatherless. 10 Therefore snares are round about thee, And sudden fear confoundeth thee; 11 Or darkness, through which thou canst not see, And floods of water cover thee. 12 Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the stars, how high they are! 13 Hence thou sayest, “What doth God know? Can he govern behind the thick darkness? 14 Dark clouds are a veil to him, and he cannot see; And he walketh upon the arch of heaven.” 15 Wilt thou take the old way Which wicked men have trodden, 16 Who were cut down before their time, And whose foundations were swept away by a flood? 17 Who said unto God, “Depart from us!” And, “What can the Almighty do to us?” 18 And yet he filled their houses with good things!—Far from me be the counsel of the wicked! 19 The righteous see their fate, and rejoice; And the innocent hold them in derision. 20 “Truly our adversary is destroyed, And fire hath consumed his abundance!” 21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: Thus shall prosperity return to thee. 22 Receive, I pray thee, instruction from his mouth, And lay up his words in thy heart. 23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up; If thou put away iniquity from thy tent. 24 Cast to the dust thy gold, And the gold of Ophir to the stones of the brook: 25 Then shall the Almighty be thy gold, Yea, treasures of silver unto thee; 26 For then shalt thou have delight in the Almighty, And shalt lift up thy face unto God. 27 Thou shalt pray to him, and he shall hear thee, And thou shalt perform thy vows. 28 The purpose which thou formest shall prosper with thee, And light shall shine upon thy ways. 29 When men are cast down, thou shalt say, “There lifting up!” And the humble person he will save. 30 He will deliver even him that is not innocent. The purity of thy hands shall save him.

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