The Third Speech of Eliphaz
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied,
2“Can any person be of benefit to God?
Can even a wise person be of any help to him?
3Job, what pleasure would it give the Mighty One if you were right?
What would he get if you were completely honest?
4“You say you have respect for him.
Is that why he corrects you?
Is that why he brings charges against you?
5Haven’t you done many evil things?
Don’t you sin again and again?
6You took clothes away from your relatives
just because they owed you some money.
You left them naked for no reason at all.
7You didn’t give any water to people who were tired.
You held food back from those who were hungry.
8You did it even though you were honored and powerful.
You owned land and lived on it.
9But you sent widows away without anything.
You mistreated children whose fathers had died.
10That’s why traps have been set all around you.
That’s why sudden danger terrifies you.
11That’s why it’s so dark you can’t even see.
That’s why a flood covers you up.
12“Isn’t God in the highest parts of heaven?
See how high the highest stars are!
13But you still say, ‘What does God know?
Can he see through the darkest clouds to judge us?
14He goes around in the highest heavens.
Thick clouds keep him from seeing us.’
15Will you stay on the old path
that sinful people have walked on?
16They were carried off even before they died.
Their foundations were washed away by a flood.
17They said to God, ‘Leave us alone!
What can you do to us, you Mighty One?’
18But he was the one who filled their houses with good things.
So I don’t pay any attention to the plans of evil people.
19“Those who do what is right are joyful
when they see sinners destroyed.
Those who haven’t done anything wrong make fun of them.
20They say, ‘Our enemies are completely destroyed.
Fire has burned up their wealth.’
21“Job, obey God and be at peace with him.
Then he will help you succeed.
22Do what he teaches you to do.
Keep his words in your heart.
23If you return to the Mighty One,
you will have what you had before.
But first you must remove
everything that is evil far from your tent.
24You must throw your gold nuggets away.
You must toss your gold from Ophir into a valley.
25Then the Mighty One himself will be your gold.
He’ll be like the finest silver to you.
26You will find delight in the Mighty One.
You will honor God and trust in him.
27You will pray to him, and he will hear you.
You will keep the promises you made to him.
28What you decide to do will be done.
Light will shine on the path you take.
29When people are brought low you will say, ‘Lift them up!’
Then God will help them.
30He’ll even save those who are guilty.
He’ll save them because your hands are clean.”
以利法再次回答
1提幔人以利法回答說：
2「人對上帝能有何益處？
即使智者對祂又有何益？
3全能者豈會因你為人公義而喜悅，
因你行為純全而獲利？
4祂豈會因你敬虔而懲罰你、審判你？
5你豈不是罪惡深重，
過犯無數？
6你無故強取弟兄的物品作抵押，
剝去貧寒者的衣服。
7你不給口渴的人水喝，
不給饑餓的人食物。
8土地歸了權貴，
只讓顯要佔有。
9你讓寡婦空手而去，
你打斷孤兒的臂膀。
10因此你周圍佈滿網羅，
恐懼突然籠罩你。
11黑暗遮掩你的視線，
洪水淹沒你。
12「上帝豈不在高天之上嗎？
看，天上的星宿何其高遠！
13你卻說，『上帝知道什麼？
祂怎能隔著幽暗施行審判？
14當祂在穹蒼巡弋時，
密雲擋住祂的視線。』
15難道你要走惡人的古道，
步他們的後塵？
16他們死期未到便已夭逝，
他們的根基被洪濤捲走。
17他們對上帝說，『離開我們吧！
全能者能把我們怎麼樣？』
18然而，是上帝把美物充滿他們的家；
因此，我決不苟同他們的想法。
19義人看見他們的結局便歡喜，
無辜者見了便嘲笑，
20說，『我們的仇敵果然被剷除，
他們的財產已被火吞噬。』
21「你要順從上帝，與祂和好，
福樂就會臨到你。
22你要接受祂的教誨，
把祂的話謹記在心。
23你若歸向全能者，就必得到恢復。
你若將罪惡從帳篷中遠遠趕走，
24將金子扔進塵土，
將俄斐的金子丟在佈滿石頭的溪谷，
25全能者必成為你的金子，
成為你珍貴的銀子。
26那時，你必從全能者那裡找到歡樂，
你必抬頭仰望上帝。
27你向祂禱告，祂必垂聽，
你必向祂還所許的願。
28你想做的事都會成功，
必有光照亮你的道路。
29人遭貶抑時，你說，『使他們升高吧。』
上帝就會拯救他們，
30祂甚至會解救有罪之人，
他們必因你的手清潔而獲救。」
