Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 “Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him?
Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
3 Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous? Does He profit if your ways are blameless?
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that you are righteous? or is it gain to him, that you make your ways perfect?
4 Is it for your reverence that He rebukes you and enters into judgment against you?
Will he reprove you for fear of you? will he enter with you into judgment?
5 Is not your wickedness great? Are not your iniquities endless?
Is not your wickedness great? and your iniquities infinite?
6 For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers and deprived the naked of their clothing.
For you have taken a pledge from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 You gave no water to the weary and withheld food from the famished,
You have not given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
8 while the land belonged to a mighty man, and a man of honor lived on it.
But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.
9 You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Therefore snares surround you, and sudden peril terrifies you;
Therefore snares are round about you, and sudden fear troubles you;
11 it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.
Or darkness, that you can not see; and abundance of waters cover you.
12 Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!
Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
13 Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?
And you say, How does God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
14 Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us as He traverses the vault of heaven.’
Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he sees not; and he walks in the circuit of heaven.
15 Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod?
Have you marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 They were snatched away before their time, and their foundations were swept away by a flood.
Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood:
17 They said to God, ‘Depart from us. What can the Almighty do to us?’
Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
18 But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
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; the innocent mock them:
The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
20 ‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’
Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumes.
21 Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.
Acquaint now yourself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto you.
22 Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.
Receive, I pray you, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents
If you return to the Almighty, you shall be built up, you shall put away iniquity far from your tabernacles.
24 and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,
Then shall you lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
25 then the Almighty will be your gold and the finest silver for you.
Yea, the Almighty shall be your defence, and you shall have plenty of silver.
26 Surely then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
For then shall you have your delight in the Almighty, and shall lift up your face unto God.
27 You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
You shall make your prayer unto him, and he shall hear you, and you shall pay your vows.
28 Your decisions will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways.
You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto you: and the light shall shine upon your ways.
29 When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the lowly.
When men are cast down, then you shall say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
30 He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”
He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of your hands.
