Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said,
Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, 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 serviceable unto God? Truly the intelligent is serviceable unto 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 art righteous? or is it any gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 Is it because you give him honour that he is sending punishment on you and is judging you?
Is it out of fear of thee that he will reproach thee? or go with thee into judgment?
5 Is not your evil-doing great? and there is no end to your sins.
Is not thy evil great? and no end to thy 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 hast taken a pledge from thy brothers for nought, 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 hast not given water to the weary to drink, and from the hungry thou hast withholden bread.
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 man of a strong arm, he obtained the land, and the highly honored could dwell therein.
9 You have sent widows away without hearing their cause, and you have taken away the support of the child who has no father.
Widows hast thou sent 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 are snares round about thee, and sudden dread terrifieth thee.
11 Your light is made dark so that you are unable to see, and you are covered by a mass of waters.
Or seest thou not the darkness? and the abundance of water which covereth 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 beholding the highest elevation of the stars, however high they are?
13 And you say, What knowledge has God? is he able to give decisions through the deep dark?
But thou sayest, “What doth God know? can he judge behind the 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 for him, so that he will not see; and he walketh along on the circle of heaven.”
15 Will you keep the old way by which evil men went?
Wilt thou [thus] observe the path of ancient times which the men of injustice have trodden?
16 Who were violently taken away before their time, who were overcome by the rush of waters:
Who were shrivelled up before their time, whose foundation was flooded away like a river;
17 Who said to God, Go away from us; and, What is the Ruler of all able to do to us?
Who said unto God, “'Depart from us:” and what wrought the Almighty for them?
18 Though he made their houses full of good things: but the purpose of the evil-doers is far from me!
And yet it was he that filled their houses with good things; but the counsel of the wicked be [still] far from me.
19 The upright saw it and were glad: and those who had done no wrong made sport of them,
The righteous will see it, and be glad; and the innocent will laugh them to scorn.
20 Saying, Truly, their substance is cut off, and their wealth is food for the fire.
“Is not he destroyed that rose up against us, and hath not the fire consumed what they had left?”
21 Put yourself now in a right relation with him and be at peace: so will you do well in your undertakings.
Do but become acquainted with him, and be at peace: thereby will happiness come unto thee.
22 Be pleased to take teaching from his mouth, and let his words be stored up in your heart.
Do but accept instruction from his mouth, and lay up his saying 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 shalt be built up, so thou wilt but remove wrong-doing far away from thy tents.
24 And put your gold in the dust, even your gold of Ophir among the rocks of the valleys;
And throw down in the dust precious metals, and [the gold of] Ophir to the stones of the brooks:
25 Then the Ruler of all will be your gold, and his teaching will be your silver;
Then will the Almighty be thy precious metal, and brightly-shining silver unto thee.
26 For then you will have delight in the Ruler of all, and your face will be lifted up to God.
For then wilt thou have in the Almighty thy delight, and thou canst lift up unto God thy face.
27 You will make your prayer to him, and be answered; and you will give effect to your oaths.
Thou wilt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and thy vows wilt thou pay.
28 Your purposes will come about, and light will be shining on your ways.
And if thou decree a thing, it will be fulfilled unto thee; and upon thy ways the light will shine.
29 For God makes low those whose hearts are lifted up, but he is a saviour to the poor in spirit.
For when men are brought low, thou wilt say, Pride [hath done it]; but those of lowly eyes [God] will help.
30 He makes safe the man who is free from sin, and if your hands are clean, salvation will be yours.
He will even deliver him who is not guiltless: and thou wilt be delivered by the purity of thy hands.
