Job 22
1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,
2 Can a man be profitable unto God? Or can he that is wise be profitable unto Him?
Can a man be serviceable unto God? Truly the intelligent is serviceable 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 any 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?
Is it out of fear of thee that he will reproach thee? or go with thee into judgment?
5 Is not thy wickedness great? And are not thine iniquities without end?
Is not thy evil great? and no end to thy iniquities?
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 brothers 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 from the hungry thou hast withholden bread.
8 And as a mighty man, who hath the earth, and as a man of rank, who dwelleth 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 sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Widows hast thou sent away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden dread affrighted thee,
Therefore are snares round about thee, and sudden dread terrifieth thee.
11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and abundance of waters cover thee.
Or seest thou not the darkness? and the abundance of water which covereth 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 beholding the highest elevation of the stars, however high they are?
13 And thou sayest: 'What doth God know? Can He judge through the dark cloud?
But thou sayest, “What doth God know? can he judge behind the darkness?
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 for him, so that he will not see; and he walketh along on the circle of heaven.”
15 Wilt thou keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?
Wilt thou [thus] observe the path of ancient times which the men of injustice have trodden?
16 Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream;
Who were shrivelled up before their time, whose foundation was flooded away like a river;
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 wrought the Almighty for them?
18 Yet He filled their houses with good things — but the counsel of the wicked is far 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 saw it, and were glad, and the innocent laugh them to scorn:
The righteous will see it, and be glad; and the innocent will laugh them to scorn.
20 'Surely their substance is cut off, and their abundance the fire hath consumed.'
“Is not he destroyed that rose up against us, and hath not the fire consumed what they had left?”
21 Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace; thereby shall thine increase be good.
Do but become acquainted with him, and be at peace: thereby will happiness come unto thee.
22 Receive, I pray thee, instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in thy heart.
Do but accept instruction from his mouth, and lay up his saying 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, so thou wilt but remove wrong-doing far away from thy tents.
24 And lay thy treasure in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks;
And throw down in the dust precious metals, and [the gold of] Ophir to the stones of the brooks:
25 And the Almighty be thy treasure, and precious silver unto thee;
Then will the Almighty be thy precious metal, and brightly-shining silver unto thee.
26 Then surely shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto 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 prayer unto Him, and He will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;
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 it shall be established unto thee, and light shall shine upon thy ways.
And if thou decree a thing, it will be fulfilled unto thee; and upon thy ways the light will shine.
29 When they cast thee down, thou shalt say: 'There is lifting up'; for the humble person He saveth.
For when men are brought low, thou wilt say, Pride [hath done it]; but those of lowly eyes [God] will help.
30 He delivereth him that is innocent, yea, thou shalt be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
He will even deliver him who is not guiltless: and thou wilt be delivered by the purity of thy hands.
