22Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied.H464H8489H6030H5592"Can a person do anything to help God? Can even a wise person be helpful to him?H1397H5532H410H3588H7919H55323Is it any advantage to the Almighty if you are righteous? Would it be any gain to him if you were perfect?H2656H7706H6663H1215H1870H85524Is it because you're so pious that he accuses you and brings judgment against you?H3198H3374H935H49415No, it's because of your wickedness! There's no limit to your sins.H7451H7227H5771H70936"For example, you must have lent money to your friend and demanded clothing as security. Yes, you stripped him to the bone.H2254H251H2600H6584H6174H8997You must have refused water for the thirsty and food for the hungry.H4325H5889H8248H4513H3899H74578You probably think the land belongs to the powerful and only the privileged have a right to it!H2220H376H776H5375H6440H34279You must have sent widows away empty-handed and crushed the hopes of orphans.H7971H490H7387H2220H3490H179210That is why you are surrounded by traps and tremble from sudden fears.H6341H5439H6597H6343H92611That is why you cannot see in the darkness, and waves of water cover you.H2822H7200H8229H4325H368012"God is so great—higher than the heavens, higher than the farthest stars.H433H1363H8064H7200H7218H3556H731113But you reply, 'That's why God can't see what I am doing! How can he judge through the thick darkness?H559H410H3045H8199H620514For thick clouds swirl about him, and he cannot see us. He is way up there, walking on the vault of heaven.'H5645H5643H7200H1980H2329H806415"Will you continue on the old paths where evil people have walked?H8104H5769H734H205H4962H186916They were snatched away in the prime of life, the foundations of their lives washed away.H7059H6256H3247H3332H510417For they said to God, 'Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us?'H559H410H5493H7706H646618Yet he was the one who filled their homes with good things, so I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking.H4390H1004H2896H6098H7563H736819"The righteous will be happy to see the wicked destroyed, and the innocent will laugh in contempt.H6662H7200H8055H5355H393220They will say, 'See how our enemies have been destroyed. The last of them have been consumed in the fire.'H518H7009H3582H3499H784H39821"Submit to God, and you will have peace; then things will go well for you.H5532H7999H2896H93522Listen to his instructions, and store them in your heart.H3947H8451H6310H7760H561H382423If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored—so clean up your life.H7725H7706H1129H7368H5766H7368H16824If you give up your lust for money and throw your precious gold into the river,H7896H1220H5921H6083H211H6697H515825the Almighty himself will be your treasure. He will be your precious silver!H7706H1220H8443H370126"Then you will take delight in the Almighty and look up to God.H6026H7706H5375H6440H43327You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows to him.H6279H8085H7999H508828You will succeed in whatever you choose to do, and light will shine on the road ahead of you.H1504H562H6965H216H5050H187029If people are in trouble and you say, 'Help them,' God will save them.H8213H559H1466H3467H7807H586930Even sinners will be rescued; they will be rescued because your hands are pure."H4422H336H5355H4422H1252H3709
