Job 22

1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:

Then Eliphaz the Themanite responded by saying:

2 Can a man be profitable unto God? Or can he that is wise be profitable unto Him?

Can man be compared with God, even if he were perfect in knowledge?

3 Is it any advantage to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to Him, that thou makest thy ways blameless?

What advantage is it to God, if you were just? Or what do you provide for him, if your way should be immaculate?

4 Is it for thy fear of Him that He reproveth thee, that He entereth with thee into judgment?

Will he reprove you and take you to judgment for being afraid,

5 Is not thy wickedness great? And are not thine iniquities without end?

and not because of your many evil deeds and your infinite unfairness?

6 For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

For you have taken away the collateral of your brothers without cause, and stripped them naked of their clothing.

7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.

You have not given water to the weary; you have taken bread away from the hungry.

8 And as a mighty man, who hath the earth, and as a man of rank, who dwelleth in it,

By the strength of your arm, you took possession of the land, and you retain it by being the strongest.

9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

You have sent widows away empty, and you have crushed the shoulders of orphans.

10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden dread affrighted thee,

Because of this, you are surrounded by traps, and unexpected fears will disturb you.

11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and abundance of waters cover thee.

And did you think that you would not see darkness and that you were not to be overwhelmed by the onrush of overflowing waters?

12 Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the topmost of the stars, how high they are!

Have you not considered that God is higher than the heavens and is lifted above the height of the stars?

13 And thou sayest: 'What doth God know? Can He judge through the dark cloud?

And you say: “Well, what does God know?” and, “He judges, as if through a fog,”

14 Thick clouds are a covering to Him, that He seeth not; and He walketh in the circuit of heaven.'

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.”

15 Wilt thou keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?

Do you not want to tend the path of the ages, which wicked men have spurned?

16 Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream;

These were taken away before their time, and a flood overthrew their foundation.

17 Who said unto God: 'Depart from us'; and what could the Almighty do unto them?

They said to God, “Withdraw from us,” and they treated the Almighty as if he could do nothing,

18 Yet He filled their houses with good things — but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

though he had filled their houses with good things. May their way of thinking be far from me.

19 The righteous saw it, and were glad, and the innocent laugh them to scorn:

The just will see and will rejoice, and the innocent will mock them.

20 'Surely their substance is cut off, and their abundance the fire hath consumed.'

Has not their haughtiness been cut down, and has not fire devoured the remnants of them?

21 Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace; thereby shall thine increase be good.

So, repose yourself with him and be at peace, and, in this way, you will have the best fruits.

22 Receive, I pray thee, instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in thy heart.

Accept the law from his mouth, and place his words in your heart.

23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up — if thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents,

If you will return to the Almighty, you will be rebuilt, and you will put sinfulness far from your tabernacle.

24 And lay thy treasure in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks;

He will give you stone in place of dirt, and torrents of gold in place of stone.

25 And the Almighty be thy treasure, and precious silver unto thee;

And the Almighty will be against your enemies, and silver will be gathered together for you.

26 Then surely shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.

Then will you flock together in delight over the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God.

27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto Him, and He will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;

You will plead with him, and he will listen to you, and you will pay your vows.

28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee, and light shall shine upon thy ways.

You will decide on something, and it will come to you, and the light will shine in your ways.

29 When they cast thee down, thou shalt say: 'There is lifting up'; for the humble person He saveth.

For he who had been humbled, will be in glory; and he who will lower his eyes, will be the one saved.

30 He delivereth him that is innocent, yea, thou shalt be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.

The innocent will be saved, and he will be saved with purity in his hands.