Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, and sayde,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 May a man be profitable vnto God, as he that is wise, may be profitable to himselfe?
“Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him?
3 Is it any thing vnto the Almightie, that thou art righteous? or is it profitable to him, that thou makest thy wayes vpright?
Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous? Does He profit if your ways are blameless?
4 Is it for feare of thee that he will accuse thee? or go with thee into iudgement?
Is it for your reverence that He rebukes you and enters into judgment against you?
5 Is not thy wickednes great, and thine iniquities innumerable?
Is not your wickedness great? Are not your iniquities endless?
6 For thou hast taken the pledge from thy brother for nought, and spoyled the clothes of the naked.
For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers and deprived the naked of their clothing.
7 To such as were wearie, thou hast not giuen water to drinke, and hast withdrawen bread from the hungrie.
You gave no water to the weary and withheld food from the famished,
8 But the mightie man had the earth, and he that was in autoritie, dwelt in it.
while the land belonged to a mighty man, and a man of honor lived on it.
9 Thou hast cast out widowes emptie, and the armes of the fatherles were broken.
You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and feare shall suddenly trouble thee:
Therefore snares surround you, and sudden peril terrifies you;
11 Or darkenes that thou shouldest not see, and abundance of waters shall couer thee.
it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.
12 Is not God on hie in the heauen? and behold the height of the starres how hie they are.
Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 But thou sayest, How should God know? can he iudge through the darke cloude?
Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?
14 The cloudes hide him that he can not see, and he walketh in the circle of heauen.
Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us as He traverses the vault of heaven.’
15 Hast thou marked the way of the worlde, wherein wicked men haue walked?
Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod?
16 Which were cut downe before the time, whose foundation was as a riuer that ouerflowed:
They were snatched away before their time, and their foundations were swept away by a flood.
17 Which sayd vnto God, Depart from vs, and asked what the Almightie could do for them.
They said to God, ‘Depart from us. What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 Yet hee filled their houses with good things: but let the counsell of the wicked be farre from me.
But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
19 The righteous shall see them, and shall reioyce, and the innocent shall laugh them to scorne.
The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent mock them:
20 Surely our substance is hid: but the fire hath deuoured the remnant of them.
‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’
21 Therefore acquaint thy selfe, I pray thee, with him, and make peace: thereby thou shalt haue prosperitie.
Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.
22 Receiue, I pray thee, the law of his mouth, and lay vp his words in thine heart.
Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.
23 If thou returne to the Almightie, thou shalt be buylt vp, and thou shalt put iniquitie farre from thy tabernacle.
If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents
24 Thou shalt lay vp golde for dust, and the gold of Ophir, as the flintes of the riuers.
and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,
25 Yea, the Almightie shalbe thy defence, and thou shalt haue plentie of siluer.
then the Almighty will be your gold and the finest silver for you.
26 And thou shalt then delite in the Almightie, and lift vp thy face vnto God.
Surely then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
27 Thou shalt make thy praier vnto him, and he shall heare thee, and thou shalt render thy vowes.
You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and he shall establish it vnto thee, and the light shall shine vpon thy wayes.
Your decisions will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways.
29 When others are cast downe, then shalt thou say, I am lifted vp: and God shall saue the humble person.
When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the lowly.
30 The innocent shall deliuer the yland, and it shalbe preserued by the purenes of thine hands.
He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”
