Job 22

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, and said,

Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,

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

Is it not the Lord that teaches understanding and knowledge?

3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou are righteous? Or is it gain to him that thou make thy ways perfect?

For what matters it to the Lord, if thou wert blameless in [thy] works? or is it profitable that thou shouldest perfect thy way?

4 Is it for thy fear of him that he reproves thee, that he enters with thee into judgment?

Wilt thou maintain and plead thine own cause? and will he enter into judgment with thee?

5 Is not thy wickedness great? Neither is there any end to thine iniquities.

Is not thy wickedness abundant, and thy sins innumerable?

6 For thou have taken pledges from thy brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

And thou hast taken security of thy brethren for nothing, and hast taken away the clothing of the naked.

7 Thou have not given water to the weary to drink, and thou have withheld bread from the hungry.

Neither hast thou given water to the thirsty to drink, but hast taken away the morsel of the hungry.

8 But as for the mighty man, he had the land. And the honorable man, he dwelt in it.

And thou hast accepted the persons of some; and thou hast established those [that were already settled] on the earth.

9 Thou have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

But thou hast sent widows away empty, and has afflicted orphans.

10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubles thee,

Therefore snares have compassed thee, and disastrous war has troubled thee.

11 or darkness, so that thou cannot see, and abundance of waters cover thee.

The light has proved darkness to thee, and water has covered thee on thy lying down.

12 Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

Does not he that dwells in the high places observe? and has he not brought down the proud?

13 And thou say, What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?

And thou has said, What does the Mighty One know? does he judge in the dark?

14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he does not see, and he walks on the vault of heaven.

A cloud is his hiding-place, and he shall not be seen; and he passes through the circle of heaven.

15 Will thou keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?

Wilt thou [not] mark the old way, which righteous men have trodden?

16 Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,

who were seized before their time: their foundations [are as] an overflowing stream.

17 who said to God, Depart from us, and, What can the Almighty do for us?

Who say, What will the Lord do to us? or what will the Almighty bring upon us?

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

Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel for the wicked is far from him.

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

The righteous have seen [it], and laughed, and the blameless one has derided [them].

20 Saying, Surely those who rose up against us are cut off, and the remnant of them, the fire has consumed.

Verily their substance has been utterly destroyed, and the fire shall devour what is left of their [property].

21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace. By this good shall come to thee.

Be firm, I pray thee, if thou canst endure; then thy fruit shall prosper.

22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.

And receive a declaration from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.

23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shall be built up, thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents.

And if thou shalt turn and humble thyself before the Lord, thou hast [thus] removed unrighteousness far from thy habitation.

24 Then thou shall lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.

Thou shalt lay up for thyself [treasure] in a heap on the rock; and Sophir [shall be] as the rock of the torrent.

25 Yea, the Almighty will be thy treasure, and precious silver to thee.

So the Almighty shall be thy helper from enemies, and he shall bring thee forth pure as silver that has been tried by fire.

26 For then shall thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shall lift up thy face to God.

Then shalt thou have boldness before the Lord, looking up cheerfully to heaven.

27 Thou shall make thy prayer to him, and he will hear thee, and thou shall pay thy vows.

And he shall hear thee when thou prayest to him, and he shall grant thee [power] to pay thy vows.

28 Thou shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established to thee. And light shall shine upon thy ways.

And he shall establish to thee again a habitation of righteousness and there shall be light upon thy paths.

29 When they cast thee down, thou shall say, There is lifting up, and he will save the humble man.

Because thou hast humbled thyself; and thou shalt say, [Man] has behaved proudly, but he shall save him that is of lowly eyes.

30 He will deliver even him who is not innocent. Yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.

He shall deliver the innocent, and do thou save thyself by thy pure hands.