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1. Then Eliphaz from Teman answered:
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1. Then Eliphaz H464 the Temanite H8489 answered H6030 and said H559 ,
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2. "Does God need our help? Even the wisest of us is not really useful to him.
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2. Can a man H1397 be profitable H5532 unto God H410 , as he that H3588 is wise H7919 may be profitable H5532 unto H5921 himself?
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3. Does your living right benefit him? Does God All-Powerful gain anything if you follow him?
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3. Is it any pleasure H2656 to the Almighty H7706 , that H3588 thou art righteous H6663 ? or H518 is it gain H1215 to him , that H3588 thou makest thy ways perfect H8552 H1870 ?
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4. Why does God blame and punish you? Is it because you worship him?
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4. Will he reprove H3198 thee for fear H4480 H3374 of thee? will he enter H935 with H5973 thee into judgment H4941 ?
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5. No, it is because you sin so much. You never stop sinning.
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5. Is not H3808 thy wickedness H7451 great H7227 ? and thine iniquities H5771 infinite H369 H7093 ?
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6. Maybe to guarantee loans you took things from people for no reason. Maybe you took a poor man's clothes to make sure he paid you back.
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6. For H3588 thou hast taken a pledge H2254 from thy brother H251 for naught H2600 , and stripped H6584 the naked H6174 of their clothing H899 .
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7. Maybe you failed to give water or food to people who were tired or hungry.
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7. Thou hast not H3808 given water H4325 to the weary H5889 to drink H8248 , and thou hast withheld H4513 bread H3899 from the hungry H4480 H7457 .
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8. You have a lot of farmland, and people respect you.
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8. But as for the mighty H2220 man H376 , he had the earth H776 ; and the honorable man H5375 H6440 dwelt H3427 in it.
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9. But maybe you sent widows away without giving them anything. And maybe you took advantage of orphans.
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9. Thou hast sent widows away H7971 H490 empty H7387 , and the arms H2220 of the fatherless H3490 have been broken H1792 .
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10. That is why traps are all around you, and sudden trouble makes you afraid.
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10. Therefore H5921 H3651 snares H6341 are round about H5439 thee , and sudden H6597 fear H6343 troubleth H926 thee;
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11. That is why it is so dark you cannot see, and why a flood of water covers you.
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11. Or H176 darkness H2822 , that thou canst not H3808 see H7200 ; and abundance H8229 of waters H4325 cover H3680 thee.
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12. "God lives in the highest part of heaven and looks down on the highest stars.
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12. Is not H3808 God H433 in the height H1363 of heaven H8064 ? and behold H7200 the height H7218 of the stars H3556 , how H3588 high they are H7311 !
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13. But you might say, 'What does God know? Can he see through the dark clouds to judge us?
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13. And thou sayest H559 , How H4100 doth God H410 know H3045 ? can he judge H8199 through H1157 the dark cloud H6205 ?
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14. Thick clouds hide us from his eyes, so he cannot see us as he walks around the edge of the sky.'
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14. Thick clouds H5645 are a covering H5643 to him , that he seeth H7200 not H3808 ; and he walketh H1980 in the circuit H2329 of heaven H8064 .
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15. "Job, you are walking on the old path that evil people walked on long ago.
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15. Hast thou marked H8104 the old H5769 way H734 which H834 wicked H205 men H4962 have trodden H1869 ?
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16. They were destroyed before it was their time to die. They were washed away by the flood.
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16. Which H834 were cut down H7059 out of H3808 time H6256 , whose foundation H3247 was overflown H3332 with a flood H5104 :
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17. They told God, 'Leave us alone!' and said, 'God All-Powerful cannot do anything to us!'
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17. Which said H559 unto God H410 , Depart H5493 from H4480 us : and what H4100 can the Almighty H7706 do H6466 for them?
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18. And it was God who filled their houses with good things. No, I would never follow the advice of evil people.
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18. Yet he H1931 filled H4390 their houses H1004 with good H2896 things : but the counsel H6098 of the wicked H7563 is far H7368 from H4480 me.
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19. Those who do what is right are happy to see them destroyed. The innocent laugh at them and say,
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19. The righteous H6662 see H7200 it , and are glad H8055 : and the innocent H5355 laugh them to scorn H3932 .
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20. 'Surely our enemies are destroyed! Their wealth burned up in the fire!'
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20. Whereas H518 our substance H7009 is not H3808 cut down H3582 , but the remnant H3499 of them the fire H784 consumeth H398 .
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21. "Now, Job, give yourself to God and make peace with him. Do this, and you will get many good things.
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21. Acquaint H5532 now H4994 thyself with H5973 him , and be at peace H7999 : thereby good H2896 shall come H935 unto thee.
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22. Accept his teaching. Pay attention to what he says.
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22. Receive H3947 , I pray thee H4994 , the law H8451 from his mouth H4480 H6310 , and lay up H7760 his words H561 in thine heart H3824 .
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23. If you return to God All-Powerful, you will be restored. But remove the evil from your house.
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23. If H518 thou return H7725 to H5704 the Almighty H7706 , thou shalt be built up H1129 , thou shalt put away iniquity H5766 far H7368 from thy tabernacles H4480 H168 .
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24. Think of your gold as nothing but dirt. Think of your finest gold as rocks from a stream.
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24. Then shalt thou lay up H7896 gold H1220 as H5921 dust H6083 , and the gold of Ophir H211 as the stones H6697 of the brooks H5158 .
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25. And let God All-Powerful be your gold. Let him be your pile of silver.
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25. Yea , the Almighty H7706 shall be H1961 thy defense H1220 , and thou shalt have plenty H8443 of silver H3701 .
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26. Then you will enjoy God All-Powerful, and you will look up to him.
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26. For H3588 then H227 shalt thou have thy delight H6026 in H5921 the Almighty H7706 , and shalt lift up H5375 thy face H6440 unto H413 God H433 .
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27. When you pray, he will hear you. And you will be able to do all that you promised him.
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27. Thou shalt make thy prayer H6279 unto H413 him , and he shall hear H8085 thee , and thou shalt pay H7999 thy vows H5088 .
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28. If you decide to do something, it will be successful. And your future will be very bright!
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28. Thou shalt also decree H1504 a thing H562 , and it shall be established H6965 unto thee : and the light H216 shall shine H5050 upon H5921 thy ways H1870 .
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29. When people are brought down and you ask God to help them, he will rescue those who have been humbled.
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29. When H3588 men are cast down H8213 , then thou shalt say H559 , There is lifting up H1466 ; and he shall save H3467 the humble person H7807 H5869 .
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30. Even those who are guilty will be forgiven. They will be saved because you did what was right."
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30. He shall deliver H4422 the island H336 of the innocent H5355 : and it is delivered H4422 by the pureness H1252 of thine hands H3709 .
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