1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? 3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him , that thou makest thy ways perfect? 4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite? 6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing. 7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry. 8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it. 9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken. 10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee; 11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee. 12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are! 13 And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud? 14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.
15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? 16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood: 17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them? 18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me. 19 The righteous see it , and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn. 20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. 22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart. 23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles. 24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. 25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver. 26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God. 27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows. 28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways. 29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person. 30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.
Elīfazs: Ījaba grēki ir pārāk lieli
1 Elīfazs no Tēmānas atbildēja, sacīdams:
2 “Vai tad cilvēks būs Dievam palīgs?
Lai palīdz pats sev, kas gana gudrs!
3 Vai Visuvarenajam tīk, ka tu taisns?
Ko viņš gūst, ja tavi ceļi krietni?
4 Vai tavas bijības dēļ viņš tevi rāj
un iet ar tevi pie tiesas?
5 Vai tavs ļaunums nav milzum liels
un pārkāpumu tev bez gala?
6 Aplam ņēmi ķīlu no saviem brāļiem,
kailiem tu atņēmi drēbes,
7 nogurušam nedevi ūdeni dzert,
izsalkušam atrāvi maizi!
8 Kam stiprs elkonis, tam pieder zeme,
to apdzīvo tas, kam lepna piere!
9 Atraitnes tu atlaidi tukšā,
bāriņu elkonis tika salauzts –
10 tādēļ cilpas tev apkārt,
tādēļ bailes tevi piepeši sagrābj,
11 tāda tumsa, ka ne samanīt,
un ūdens plūdi gāžas pār tevi!
12 Vai tad Dievs nav debesīs augstu?
Paraugies zvaigznēs, kur paceltas tās!
13 Bet tu saki: ko Dievs zina?
Kā caur tumšiem padebešiem spriež tiesu?
14 Mākoņiem aizsedzies, neredz viņš,
pa debesloku viņš pastaigājas! –
15 Vai tu turēsies pie senā ceļa,
kuru grēkdari staigājuši,
16 kas iznīdēti pirms laika,
viņu pamatus upe izrāvusi,
17 tie Dievam teica: atkāpies!
Ko Visuvarenais padarīs mums?
18 Un viņš pildīja to namus labumiem!
Lai man ļaundaru padoms tāls!
19 Taisnie redzēs un priecāsies,
un šķīstais smies par tādu:
20 patiesi, mūsu naidnieks iznīdēts,
un, kas tiem palicis, to uguns aprijusi!
21 Izlīgsti ar viņu un turi mieru,
tā tu vēl sagaidīsi labu!
22 Pieņem taču mācību no viņa mutes,
liec viņa vārdus pie sirds!
23 Ja tu atgriezies pie Visuvarenā – tiksi atjaunots.
No savām teltīm padzen netaisnību!
24 Zeltu met pīšļos
un upju oļos – Ofīra zeltu,
25 tad Visuvarenais kļūs par tavu zeltu
un būs tev kā tīrs sudrabs.
26 Tad par Visuvareno tu priecāsies
un uz Dievu pacelsi vaigu,
27 tu viņu lūgsi, un viņš tevi sadzirdēs,
ko solījis, tu izpildīsi,
28 ko nolemsi, tas tev izdosies,
un tavus ceļus apspīdēs gaisma.
29 Pazemotajam tu teiksi: celies! –
jo pazemīgo viņš glābs.
30 Viņš izglābs nešķīsto –
tas būs glābts caur tavu šķīstumu!”
