1Then answered Elifaz HaTemani, and said,
2“Can a man be profitable unto God? Or can he that is wise be profitable unto Him?
3Is it any advantage to Shadai, that you become righteous? Or is it gain to Him, that you make your ways blameless?
4Is it for your fear of Him that He reproves you, that He enters with you into judgment?
5Is not your wickedness great? And are not your iniquities without end?
6For you have taken pledges of your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7You have not given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
8And as a mighty man, who has the earth, and as a man of rank, who dwells in it,
9You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10Therefore snares are round about you, and sudden dread frightened you,
11Or darkness, that you can not see, and abundance of waters cover you.
12Is not Eloha in the height of heaven? And behold the topmost of the stars, how high they are!
13And you say, ‘What does God know? Can He judge through the dark cloud?
14Thick clouds are a covering to Him, that He does not see; and He walks in the circuit of heaven.’
15Will you keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream;
17Who said unto God, ‘Depart from us’; and what could Shadai do unto them?
18Yet He filled their houses with good things. But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19The Tzadikim saw it, and were glad, and the innocent laugh them to scorn:
20‘Surely their substance is cut off, and their abundance the fire has consumed.’
21Acquaint now yourself with Him, and have shalom; thereby shall your increase be good.
22Receive, I pray, instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.
23If you return to Shadai, you shall be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents,
24And lay your treasure in the dust, and the gold of Ofir among the stones of the brooks;
25And Shadai is your treasure, and precious silver unto you;
26Then surely shall you have your delight in Shadai, and shall lift up your face unto Eloha.
27You shall make your prayer unto Him, and He will hear you, and you shall pay your vows;
28You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto you, and light shall shine upon your ways.
29When they cast you down, you shall say, ‘There is lifting up’; for the humble person He saves.
30He delivers him that is innocent, yes, you shall be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”
אוַיַּעַן אֱלִיפַז הַתֵּמָנִי; וַיֹּאמַר,
בהַלְאֵל יִסְכָּן גָּבֶר כִּי יִסְכֹּן עָלֵימוֹ מַשְׂכִּיל.
גהַחֵפֶץ לְשַׁדַּי כִּי תִצְדָּק; וְאִם בֶּצַע כִּי תַתֵּם דְּרָכֶיךָ.
דהֲמִיִּרְאָתְךָ יֹכִיחֶךָ; יָבוֹא עִמְּךָ בַּמִּשְׁפָּט.
ההֲלֹא רָעָתְךָ רַבָּה; וְאֵין קֵץ לַעֲוֹנֹתֶיךָ.
וכִּי תַחְבֹּל אַחֶיךָ חִנָּם; וּבִגְדֵי עֲרוּמִּים תַּפְשִׁיט.
זלֹא מַיִם עָיֵף תַּשְׁקֶה; וּמֵרָעֵב תִּמְנַע לָחֶם.
חוְאִישׁ זְרוֹעַ לוֹ הָאָרֶץ; וּנְשׂוּא פָנִים יֵשֶׁב בָּהּ.
טאַלְמָנוֹת שִׁלַּחְתָּ רֵיקָם; וּזְרֹעוֹת יְתֹמִים יְדֻכָּא.
יעַל כֵּן סְבִיבוֹתֶיךָ פַחִים; וִיבַהֶלְךָ פַּחַד פִּתְאֹם.
יאאוֹ חֹשֶׁךְ לֹא תִרְאֶה; וְשִׁפְעַת מַיִם תְּכַסֶּךָּ.
יבהֲלֹא אֱלוֹהַּ גֹּבַהּ שָׁמָיִם; וּרְאֵה רֹאשׁ כּוֹכָבִים כִּי רָמּוּ.
יגוְאָמַרְתָּ מַה יָּדַע אֵל; הַבְעַד עֲרָפֶל יִשְׁפּוֹט.
ידעָבִים סֵתֶר לוֹ וְלֹא יִרְאֶה; וְחוּג שָׁמַיִם יִתְהַלָּךְ.
טוהַאֹרַח עוֹלָם תִּשְׁמוֹר אֲשֶׁר דָּרְכוּ מְתֵי אָוֶן.
טזאֲשֶׁר קֻמְּטוּ וְלֹא עֵת; נָהָר יוּצַק יְסוֹדָם.
יזהָאֹמְרִים לָאֵל סוּר מִמֶּנּוּ; וּמַה יִּפְעַל שַׁדַּי לָמוֹ.
יחוְהוּא מִלֵּא בָתֵּיהֶם טוֹב; וַעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים רָחֲקָה מֶנִּי.
יטיִרְאוּ צַדִּיקִים וְיִשְׂמָחוּ; וְנָקִי יִלְעַג לָמוֹ.
כאִם לֹא נִכְחַד קִימָנוּ; וְיִתְרָם אָכְלָה אֵשׁ.
כאהַסְכֶּן נָא עִמּוֹ וּשְׁלָם; בָּהֶם תְּבוֹאַתְךָ טוֹבָה.
כבקַח נָא מִפִּיו תּוֹרָה; וְשִׂים אֲמָרָיו בִּלְבָבֶךָ.
כגאִם תָּשׁוּב עַד שַׁדַּי תִּבָּנֶה; תַּרְחִיק עַוְלָה מֵאָהֳלֶךָ.
כדוְשִׁית עַל עָפָר בָּצֶר; וּכְצוּר נְחָלִים אוֹפִיר.
כהוְהָיָה שַׁדַּי בְּצָרֶיךָ; וְכֶסֶף תּוֹעָפוֹת לָךְ.
כוכִּי אָז עַל שַׁדַּי תִּתְעַנָּג; וְתִשָּׂא אֶל אֱלוֹהַּ פָּנֶיךָ.
כזתַּעְתִּיר אֵלָיו וְיִשְׁמָעֶךָּ; וּנְדָרֶיךָ תְשַׁלֵּם.
כחוְתִגְזַר אֹמֶר וְיָקָם לָךְ; וְעַל דְּרָכֶיךָ נָגַהּ אוֹר.
כטכִּי הִשְׁפִּילוּ וַתֹּאמֶר גֵּוָה; וְשַׁח עֵינַיִם יוֹשִׁעַ.
ליְמַלֵּט אִי נָקִי; וְנִמְלַט בְּבֹר כַּפֶּיךָ.