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1. Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
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1. Then Eliphaz H464 the Temanite H8489 answered H6030 and said H559 ,
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2. "Can anyone be of real use to God? Can even a wise person do him good?
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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 it help the Almighty for you to be good? Does he gain anything if you are innocent?
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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. Does God punish you for respecting him? Does he bring you into court for this?
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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 your evil is without limits and your sins have no end.
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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. You took your brothers' things for a debt they didn't owe; you took clothes from people and left them naked.
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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. You did not give water to tired people, and you kept food from the 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 were a powerful man who owned land; you were honored and lived in the land.
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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 you sent widows away empty-handed, and you mistreated 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 danger frightens you.
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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 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 is in the highest part of heaven. See how high the highest stars are!
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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 ask, 'What does God know? Can he judge us through the dark clouds?
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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 cover him so he cannot see us as he walks around high up in 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. Are you going to stay on the old path where evil people walk?
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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 carried away before their time was up, and their foundations were washed away by a 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 said to God, 'Leave us alone! The Almighty can do nothing 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. But it was God who filled their houses with good things. Their way of thinking is different from mine.
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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. "Good people can watch and be glad; the innocent can 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, and fire burns up their wealth.'
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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. "Obey God and be at peace with him; this is the way to happiness.
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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 teaching from his mouth, and keep his words in your heart.
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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 the Almighty, you will be blessed again. So remove 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. Throw your gold nuggets into the dust and your fine gold among the rocks in the ravines.
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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. Then the Almighty will be your gold and the best silver for you.
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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. You will find pleasure in the Almighty, 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. You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will keep your promises to 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. Anything you decide will be done, and light will shine on your ways.
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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 made humble and you say, 'Have courage,' then the humble will be saved.
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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 a guilty person will escape and be saved because your hands are clean."
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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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