Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, and sayde,
Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,
2 May a man be profitable vnto God, as he that is wise, may be profitable to himselfe?
Can a man be serviceable unto God? Truly the intelligent is serviceable unto himself.
3 Is it any thing vnto the Almightie, that thou art righteous? or is it profitable to him, that thou makest thy wayes vpright?
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 for feare of thee that he will accuse thee? or go with thee into iudgement?
Is it out of fear of thee that he will reproach thee? or go with thee into judgment?
5 Is not thy wickednes great, and thine iniquities innumerable?
Is not thy evil great? and no end to thy iniquities?
6 For thou hast taken the pledge from thy brother for nought, and spoyled the clothes of the naked.
For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brothers for nought, and stripped 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.
Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and from the hungry thou hast withholden bread.
8 But the mightie man had the earth, and he that was in autoritie, dwelt in it.
But as for the man of a strong arm, he obtained the land, and the highly honored could dwell therein.
9 Thou hast cast out widowes emptie, and the armes of the fatherles were broken.
Widows hast thou sent away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and feare shall suddenly trouble thee:
Therefore are snares round about thee, and sudden dread terrifieth thee.
11 Or darkenes that thou shouldest not see, and abundance of waters shall couer thee.
Or seest thou not the darkness? and the abundance of water which covereth thee?
12 Is not God on hie in the heauen? and behold the height of the starres how hie they are.
Is not God in the height of heaven? and beholding the highest elevation of the stars, however high they are?
13 But thou sayest, How should God know? can he iudge through the darke cloude?
But thou sayest, “What doth God know? can he judge behind the darkness?
14 The cloudes hide him that he can not see, and he walketh in the circle of heauen.
Thick clouds are a covering for him, so that he will not see; and he walketh along on the circle of heaven.”
15 Hast thou marked the way of the worlde, wherein wicked men haue walked?
Wilt thou [thus] observe the path of ancient times which the men of injustice have trodden?
16 Which were cut downe before the time, whose foundation was as a riuer that ouerflowed:
Who were shrivelled up before their time, whose foundation was flooded away like a river;
17 Which sayd vnto God, Depart from vs, and asked what the Almightie could do for them.
Who said unto God, “'Depart from us:” and what wrought the Almighty for them?
18 Yet hee filled their houses with good things: but let the counsell of the wicked be farre 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 righteous shall see them, and shall reioyce, and the innocent shall laugh them to scorne.
The righteous will see it, and be glad; and the innocent will laugh them to scorn.
20 Surely our substance is hid: but the fire hath deuoured the remnant of them.
“Is not he destroyed that rose up against us, and hath not the fire consumed what they had left?”
21 Therefore acquaint thy selfe, I pray thee, with him, and make peace: thereby thou shalt haue prosperitie.
Do but become acquainted with him, and be at peace: thereby will happiness come unto thee.
22 Receiue, I pray thee, the law of his mouth, and lay vp his words in thine heart.
Do but accept instruction from his mouth, and lay up his saying in thy heart.
23 If thou returne to the Almightie, thou shalt be buylt vp, and thou shalt put iniquitie farre from thy tabernacle.
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, so thou wilt but remove wrong-doing far away from thy tents.
24 Thou shalt lay vp golde for dust, and the gold of Ophir, as the flintes of the riuers.
And throw down in the dust precious metals, and [the gold of] Ophir to the stones of the brooks:
25 Yea, the Almightie shalbe thy defence, and thou shalt haue plentie of siluer.
Then will the Almighty be thy precious metal, and brightly-shining silver unto thee.
26 And thou shalt then delite in the Almightie, and lift vp thy face vnto God.
For then wilt thou have in the Almighty thy delight, and thou canst lift up unto God thy face.
27 Thou shalt make thy praier vnto him, and he shall heare thee, and thou shalt render thy vowes.
Thou wilt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and thy vows wilt thou pay.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and he shall establish it vnto thee, and the light shall shine vpon thy wayes.
And if thou decree a thing, it will be fulfilled unto thee; and upon thy ways the light will shine.
29 When others are cast downe, then shalt thou say, I am lifted vp: and God shall saue the humble person.
For when men are brought low, thou wilt say, Pride [hath done it]; but those of lowly eyes [God] will help.
30 The innocent shall deliuer the yland, and it shalbe preserued by the purenes of thine hands.
He will even deliver him who is not guiltless: and thou wilt be delivered by the purity of thy hands.
