Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, and said,
2 Is it possible for a man to be of profit to God? No, for a man's wisdom is only of profit to himself.
Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
3 Is it of any interest to the Ruler of all that you are upright? or is it of use to him that your ways are without sin?
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou are righteous? Or is it gain to him that thou make thy ways perfect?
4 Is it because you give him honour that he is sending punishment on you and is judging you?
Is it for thy fear of him that he reproves thee, that he enters with thee into judgment?
5 Is not your evil-doing great? and there is no end to your sins.
Is not thy wickedness great? Neither is there any end to thine iniquities.
6 For you have taken your brother's goods when he was not in your debt, and have taken away the clothing of those who have need of it.
For thou have taken pledges from thy brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 You do not give water to the tired traveller, and from him who has no food you keep back bread.
Thou have not given water to the weary to drink, and thou have withheld bread from the hungry.
8 For it was the man with power who had the land, and the man with an honoured name who was living in it.
But as for the mighty man, he had the land. And the honorable man, he dwelt in it.
9 You have sent widows away without hearing their cause, and you have taken away the support of the child who has no father.
Thou have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 For this cause nets are round your feet, and you are overcome with sudden fear.
Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubles thee,
11 Your light is made dark so that you are unable to see, and you are covered by a mass of waters.
or darkness, so that thou cannot see, and abundance of waters cover thee.
12 Is not God as high as heaven? and see the stars, how high they are!
Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
13 And you say, What knowledge has God? is he able to give decisions through the deep dark?
And thou say, What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
14 Thick clouds are covering him, so that he is unable to see; and he is walking on the arch of heaven.
Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he does not see, and he walks on the vault of heaven.
15 Will you keep the old way by which evil men went?
Will thou keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 Who were violently taken away before their time, who were overcome by the rush of waters:
Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
17 Who said to God, Go away from us; and, What is the Ruler of all able to do to us?
who said to God, Depart from us, and, What can the Almighty do for us?
18 Though he made their houses full of good things: but the purpose of the evil-doers is far from me!
Yet he filled their houses with good things. But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 The upright saw it and were glad: and those who had done no wrong made sport of them,
The righteous see it, and are glad. And the innocent laugh them to scorn,
20 Saying, Truly, their substance is cut off, and their wealth is food for the fire.
Saying, Surely those who rose up against us are cut off, and the remnant of them, the fire has consumed.
21 Put yourself now in a right relation with him and be at peace: so will you do well in your undertakings.
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace. By this good shall come to thee.
22 Be pleased to take teaching from his mouth, and let his words be stored up in your heart.
Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.
23 If you come back to the Ruler of all, making yourself low before him; if you put evil far away from your tents;
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shall be built up, thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents.
24 And put your gold in the dust, even your gold of Ophir among the rocks of the valleys;
Then thou shall lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
25 Then the Ruler of all will be your gold, and his teaching will be your silver;
Yea, the Almighty will be thy treasure, and precious silver to thee.
26 For then you will have delight in the Ruler of all, and your face will be lifted up to God.
For then shall thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shall lift up thy face to God.
27 You will make your prayer to him, and be answered; and you will give effect to your oaths.
Thou shall make thy prayer to him, and he will hear thee, and thou shall pay thy vows.
28 Your purposes will come about, and light will be shining on your ways.
Thou shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established to thee. And light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 For God makes low those whose hearts are lifted up, but he is a saviour to the poor in spirit.
When they cast thee down, thou shall say, There is lifting up, and he will save the humble man.
30 He makes safe the man who is free from sin, and if your hands are clean, salvation will be yours.
He will deliver even him who is not innocent. Yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
