Mosaico decorativo

1. Eliphaz of Teman spoke next. He said:

1. Then Eli'phaz the Te'manite answered:

2. Can a human being contribute anything to God, when even someone intelligent can benefit only himself?

2. "Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.

3. Does Shaddai derive any benefit from your uprightness, or profit from your blameless conduct?

3. Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous, or is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?

4. Do you think he is punishing you for your piety and bringing you to justice for that?

4. Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you, and enters into judgment with you?

5. No, for your great wickedness, more likely, for your unlimited sins!

5. Is not your wickedness great? There is no end to your iniquities.

6. You have exacted unearned pledges from your brothers, stripped people naked of their clothes,

6. For you have exacted pledges of your brothers for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

7. failed to give water to the thirsty and refused bread to the hungry;

7. You have given no water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.

8. handed the land over to a strong man, for some favoured person to move in,

8. The man with power possessed the land, and the favored man dwelt in it.

9. sent widows away empty-handed and crushed the arms of orphans.

9. You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless were crushed.

10. No wonder, then, if snares are all around you, and sudden terrors make you afraid;

10. Therefore snares are round about you, and sudden terror overwhelms you;

11. if light has turned to darkness, so that you cannot see, and you have been submerged in the flood.

11. your light is darkened, so that you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.

12. Does not God live high in the heavens, does he not see the zenith of the stars?

12. "Is not God high in the heavens? See the highest stars, how lofty they are!

13. And because he is up there, you have said, 'What does God know? Can he judge through the dark cloud?

13. Therefore you say, `What does God know? Can he judge through the deep darkness?

14. The clouds, to him, are an impenetrable veil, as he goes his way on the rim of the heavens.'

14. Thick clouds enwrap him, so that he does not see, and he walks on the vault of heaven.'

15. And will you still follow the ancient trail trodden by the wicked,

15. Will you keep to the old way which wicked men have trod?

16. those who were borne off before their time, whose foundations were swamped by a flood,

16. They were snatched away before their time; their foundation was washed away.

17. for having said to God, 'Go away! What can Shaddai do to us?'

17. They said to God, `Depart from us,' and `What can the Almighty do to us?'

18. Yet he himself had filled their houses with good things, although excluded from the plans of the wicked!

18. Yet he filled their houses with good things -- but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

19. At such a spectacle, the upright rejoice, and the innocent deride them:

19. The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent laugh them to scorn,

20. 'See how our enemies have been destroyed! See how their wealth has perished in the flames!'

20. saying, `Surely our adversaries are cut off, and what they left the fire has consumed.'

21. Well then! Make peace with him, be reconciled, and all your happiness will be restored to you.

21. "Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you.

22. Welcome the teaching from his lips, and keep his words close to your heart.

22. Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.

23. If you return, humbled, to Shaddai and drive wickedness far from your tent,

23. If you return to the Almighty and humble yourself, if you remove unrighteousness far from your tents,

24. if you lay your gold down on the dust, Ophir down among the pebbles of the torrent,

24. if you lay gold in the dust, and gold of Ophir among the stones of the torrent bed,

25. Shaddai will be bars of gold to you and silver piled in heaps.

25. and if the Almighty is your gold, and your precious silver;

26. Then Shaddai will be all your delight, and you will lift your face to God.

26. then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and lift up your face to God.

27. You will pray, and he will hear; and you will be able to fulfil your vows.

27. You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you; and you will pay your vows.

28. Whatever you undertake will go well, and light will shine on your path;

28. You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.

29. for he casts down the pride of the arrogant, but he saves those of downcast eyes.

29. For God abases the proud, but he saves the lowly.

30. He rescues anyone who is innocent; have your hands clean, and you will be saved.

30. He delivers the innocent man; you will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands."



Leggi la Bibbia in un anno

Unisciti alla nostra comunità e completa l'intera Bibbia in 365 giorni. Un percorso strutturato e stimolante per approfondire la tua fede e la tua conoscenza delle Scritture.