Job 22

1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:

And Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

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

Can a man be profitable to God? surely it is unto himself that the wise man is profitable.

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

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if thou art righteous? And is it gain [to him] that thou makest thy ways perfect?

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

Will he reason with thee for fear of thee? Will he enter with thee into judgment?

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

Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities without end?

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

For thou hast taken a pledge of thy brother for nought, and stripped off the clothing of the naked.

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

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

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

But the powerful man, he had the land; and the man of high rank dwelt in it.

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

Widows hast thou sent empty away, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

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

Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;

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

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

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

Is not God in the height of the heavens? And behold the summit of the stars: how exalted are they!

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

And thou sayest, What doth God know? will he judge through the dark cloud?

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

Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh on the vault of the heavens.

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

Dost thou mark the ancient path which wicked men have trodden?

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

Who were carried off before the time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood;

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

Who said unto God, Depart from us! and what could the Almighty do to them?

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

Yet he filled their houses with good. But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

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

The righteous see it, and are glad; and the innocent laugh them to scorn:

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

Is not he who rose against us destroyed, and doth not the fire consume his residue?

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

Reconcile thyself now with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

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

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

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

If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up. If thou remove unrighteousness far from thy tents,

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

And put the precious ore with the dust, and [the gold of] Ophir among the stones of the torrents,

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

Then the Almighty will be thy precious ore, and silver heaped up unto thee;

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

Yea, then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God:

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

Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;

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

And thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee; and light shall shine upon thy ways.

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

When they are made low, then thou shalt say, Rise up! and he shall save him that is of downcast eyes.

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

[Even] him that is not innocent shall he deliver; yea, he shall be delivered by the pureness of thy hands.