Job 22

1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:

Then 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 unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?

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, that thou art righteous? or [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 reprove 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 infinite?

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

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

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 weary 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 [as for] the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.

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

Thou hast sent widows away empty, 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 abundance 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 heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

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

And thou sayest, How doth God know? can 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 in the circuit of heaven.

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

Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?

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

Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:

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

Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for 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 [things: ] 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.'

Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.

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

Acquaint now thyself 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, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine 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, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.

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

Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the [gold] of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.

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

Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.

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

For then shalt thou have thy delight 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 shall 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.

Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the 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 [men] are cast down, then thou shalt say, [There is] lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.

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

He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.