Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Themanite responded by saying:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2 Can man be compared with God, even if he were perfect in knowledge?
"Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
3 What advantage is it to God, if you were just? Or what do you provide for him, if your way should be immaculate?
Is it any pleasure to Shaddai, that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him, that you make your ways perfect?
4 Will he reprove you and take you to judgment for being afraid,
Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?
5 and not because of your many evil deeds and your infinite unfairness?
Isn't your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.
6 For you have taken away the collateral of your brothers without cause, and stripped them naked of their clothing.
For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 You have not given water to the weary; you have taken bread away from the hungry.
You haven't given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
8 By the strength of your arm, you took possession of the land, and you retain it by being the strongest.
But as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honorable man, he lived in it.
9 You have sent widows away empty, and you have crushed the shoulders of orphans.
You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Because of this, you are surrounded by traps, and unexpected fears will disturb you.
Therefore snares are around you. Sudden fear troubles you,
11 And did you think that you would not see darkness and that you were not to be overwhelmed by the onrush of overflowing waters?
or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.
12 Have you not considered that God is higher than the heavens and is lifted above the height of the stars?
"Isn't God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are.
13 And you say: “Well, what does God know?” and, “He judges, as if through a fog,”
You say, 'What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
14 and, “The clouds are his hiding-place,” and, “He does not examine us closely,” and, “He makes his rounds at the limits of the heavens.”
Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn't see. He walks on the vault of the sky.'
15 Do you not want to tend the path of the ages, which wicked men have spurned?
Will you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,
16 These were taken away before their time, and a flood overthrew their foundation.
who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
17 They said to God, “Withdraw from us,” and they treated the Almighty as if he could do nothing,
who said to God, 'Depart from us;' and, 'What can Shaddai do for us?'
18 though he had filled their houses with good things. May their way of thinking be far from me.
Yet he filled their houses with good things, but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 The just will see and will rejoice, and the innocent will mock them.
The righteous see it, and are glad. The innocent ridicule them,
20 Has not their haughtiness been cut down, and has not fire devoured the remnants of them?
saying, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed the remnant of them.'
21 So, repose yourself with him and be at peace, and, in this way, you will have the best fruits.
"Acquaint yourself with him, now, and be at peace. Thereby good shall come to you.
22 Accept the law from his mouth, and place his words in your heart.
Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
23 If you will return to the Almighty, you will be rebuilt, and you will put sinfulness far from your tabernacle.
If you return to Shaddai, you shall be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.
24 He will give you stone in place of dirt, and torrents of gold in place of stone.
Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
25 And the Almighty will be against your enemies, and silver will be gathered together for you.
Shaddai will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.
26 Then will you flock together in delight over the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God.
For then you will delight yourself in Shaddai, and shall lift up your face to God.
27 You will plead with him, and he will listen to you, and you will pay your vows.
You shall make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You shall pay your vows.
28 You will decide on something, and it will come to you, and the light will shine in your ways.
And you will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.
29 For he who had been humbled, will be in glory; and he who will lower his eyes, will be the one saved.
When they cast down, you shall say, 'be lifted up.' And he will save the humble.
30 The innocent will be saved, and he will be saved with purity in his hands.
He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of your hands."
