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 useful to God? Can a wise man be useful to him?
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 if you are righteous? Is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?
4 Is it for your reverence that He rebukes you and enters into judgment against you?
Is it because of your reverence for him that he rebukes you and takes you to judgment?
5 Is not your wickedness great? Are not your iniquities endless?
Is not your wickedness great? Is there no end to your iniquities?
6 For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers and deprived the naked of their clothing.
For you have demanded guarantee of a loan from your brother for no reason, and you have stripped away clothing from the naked.
7 You gave no water to the weary and withheld food from the famished,
You have not given water to weary people to drink; you have withheld bread from hungry people
8 while the land belonged to a mighty man, and a man of honor lived on it.
although you, a mighty man, possessed the earth, although you, an honored man, lived in it.
9 You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
You have sent widows away empty; the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Therefore snares surround you, and sudden peril terrifies you;
Therefore, snares are all around you, and sudden fear troubles you.
11 it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.
There is darkness, so that you cannot see; an abundance of waters covers you.
12 Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!
Is not God in the heights of heaven? Look at the height of the stars, how high they are!
13 Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?
You say, 'What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
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, so that he does not see us; he walks on the vault of heaven.'
15 Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod?
Will you keep the old way that wicked men have walked—
16 They were snatched away before their time, and their foundations were swept away by a flood.
those who were snatched away before their time, those whose foundations have washed away like a river,
17 They said to God, ‘Depart from us. What can the Almighty do to us?’
those who said to God, 'Depart from us'; those who said, 'What can the Almighty do to us?'
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; the plans of wicked people are far from me.
19 The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent mock them:
Righteous people see their fate and are glad; innocent people laugh them to scorn.
20 ‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’
They say, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off; fire has consumed their possessions.'
21 Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.
Now agree with God and be at peace with him; in that way, good will come to you.
22 Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.
Receive, I beg you, instruction from his mouth; store 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 will be built up, if you put unrighteousness far away from your tents.
24 and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,
Lay your treasure down in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,
25 then the Almighty will be your gold and the finest silver for you.
and the Almighty will be your treasure, precious silver to you.
26 Surely then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
For then you will take pleasure in the Almighty; you will lift up your face to God.
27 You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you; you will pay your vows to him.
28 Your decisions will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways.
You will also decree anything, and it will be confirmed for you; light will shine on your paths.
29 When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the lowly.
God humbles a proud man, and he saves the one with lowered eyes.
30 He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”
He will rescue even the man who is not innocent; who will be rescued through the cleanness of your hands.”
