Job 22
1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded and said,
2 Can a man be profitable unto God? Or can he that is wise be profitable unto Him?
“How can anyone be of help to God? Even wise people are only helpful to themselves.
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 benefit to the Almighty if you're a good person? What does he gain if you do what's right?
4 Is it for thy fear of Him that He reproveth thee, that He entereth with thee into judgment?
Does he correct you and bring charges against you because of your reverence?
5 Is not thy wickedness great? And are not thine iniquities without end?
No: it's because you're so wicked! Your sins are never-ending!
6 For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
For no reason at all you took your brother's clothing as a security for a debt, and left them stripped naked.
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
You refused water to the thirsty; you denied food to the hungry.
8 And as a mighty man, who hath the earth, and as a man of rank, who dwelleth in it,
Is it because the land belongs to the powerful, and only the privileged have a right to live there?
9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
You have sent widows away empty-handed; you have crushed the outstretched arms of orphans, begging for help.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden dread affrighted thee,
That's why you're surrounded by traps to catch you, and why you suddenly panic in terror.
11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and abundance of waters cover thee.
That's why it's so dark you cannot see, and why you feel like you're drowning.
12 Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the topmost of the stars, how high they are!
Doesn't God live in highest heaven and looks down on even the highest stars?
13 And thou sayest: 'What doth God know? Can He judge through the dark cloud?
But you ask, ‘What does God know? How can he see and judge what happens in down here in darkness?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to Him, that He seeth not; and He walketh in the circuit of heaven.'
Thick clouds cover him so he can't see anything as he walks around in heaven.’
15 Wilt thou keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?
Why do you insist on following the traditional thinking of the wicked?
16 Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream;
They were taken before their time; all they had built was washed away.
17 Who said unto God: 'Depart from us'; and what could the Almighty do unto them?
They had told God, ‘Get lost! What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 Yet He filled their houses with good things — but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
And yet he was the one who had filled their homes with good things—but I don't accept their way of thinking.
19 The righteous saw it, and were glad, and the innocent laugh them to scorn:
Those who do right rejoice when they see the destruction of the wicked, and the innocent mock them,
20 'Surely their substance is cut off, and their abundance the fire hath consumed.'
saying, ‘Our enemies are destroyed, and fire has burned up all that's left of them.’
21 Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace; thereby shall thine increase be good.
Come back to God and be reconciled to him, and you'll be prosperous again.
22 Receive, I pray thee, instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in thy heart.
Listen to what he tells you and keep his words in mind.
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up — if thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents,
If you return to God you will be restored. If you renounce your sinful life
24 And lay thy treasure in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks;
and give up your love of money and desire for possessions,
25 And the Almighty be thy treasure, and precious silver unto thee;
then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver.
26 Then surely shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
Then you will find delight in the Almighty, and be able to face him without feeling ashamed.
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto Him, and He will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;
You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will keep your promises to him.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee, and light shall shine upon thy ways.
Whatever you decide to do will be successful, and wherever you go, light will shine on you.
29 When they cast thee down, thou shalt say: 'There is lifting up'; for the humble person He saveth.
When others are humbled, and you say, ‘please help them,’ God will save them.
30 He delivereth him that is innocent, yea, thou shalt be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
God saves those who are innocent, and you will be saved if you do what is right.”
