< Job 22 >

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
And Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 Can a man be profitable to God, as he that is wise may be profitable to himself?
Can a man be profitable to God? surely it is unto himself that the wise man is profitable.
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that you are righteous? or is it gain to him, that you make your ways perfect?
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if thou art righteous? And is it gain [to him] that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 Will he reprove you for fear of you? will he enter with you into judgment?
Will he reason with thee for fear of thee? Will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 Is not your wickedness great? and your iniquities infinite?
Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities without end?
6 For you have taken a pledge from your brother for nothing, 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 You have not given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
Thou hast not given water to the fainting to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honorable man dwelled in it.
But the powerful man, he had the land; and the man of high rank dwelt in it.
9 You have 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 you, and sudden fear troubles you;
Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
11 Or darkness, that you can not see; and abundance of waters cover you.
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 height 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 you say, How does 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 sees not; and he walks 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 Have you marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
Dost thou mark the ancient path which wicked men have trodden?
16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood:
Who were carried off before the time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood;
17 Which said to God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for 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 see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
The righteous see it, and are glad; and the innocent laugh them to scorn:
20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumes.
Is not he who rose against us destroyed, and doth not the fire consume his residue?
21 Acquaint now yourself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come to you.
Reconcile thyself now with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
22 Receive, I pray you, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
Receive, I pray thee, instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you shall be built up, you shall put away iniquity far from your tabernacles.
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up. If thou remove unrighteousness far from thy tents,
24 Then shall you lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as 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 Yes, the Almighty shall be your defense, and you shall have plenty of silver.
Then the Almighty will be thy precious ore, and silver heaped up unto thee;
26 For then shall you have your delight in the Almighty, and shall lift up your face to God.
Yea, then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God:
27 You shall make your prayer to him, and he shall hear you, and you shall pay your vows.
Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;
28 You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established to you: and the light shall shine on your ways.
And thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee; and light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 When men are cast down, then you shall say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
When they are made low, then thou shalt say, Rise up! and he shall save him that is of downcast eyes.
30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of your hands.
[Even] him that is not innocent shall he deliver; yea, he shall be delivered by the pureness of thy hands.

< Job 22 >