Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: —
2 Can a man be profitable to God, as he that is wise may be profitable to himself?
To God is a man profitable, Because a wise man to himself 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 a delight to the Mighty One That thou art righteous? is it gain, That thou makest perfect thy ways?
4 Will he reprove you for fear of you? will he enter with you into judgment?
Because of thy reverence Doth He reason [with] thee? He entereth with thee into judgment:
5 Is not your wickedness great? and your iniquities infinite?
Is not thy wickedness abundant? And there is no end to thine iniquities.
6 For you have taken a pledge from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
For thou takest a pledge of thy brother for nought, And the garments of the naked Thou dost strip off.
7 You have not given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
Thou causest not the weary to drink water, And from the hungry thou withholdest bread.
8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honorable man dwelled in it.
As to the man of arm — he hath the earth, And the accepted of face — he dwelleth in it.
9 You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Widows thou hast sent away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.
10 Therefore snares are round about you, and sudden fear troubles you;
Therefore round about thee [are] snares, And trouble thee doth fear suddenly.
11 Or darkness, that you can not see; and abundance of waters cover you.
Or darkness — thou dost not see, And abundance of waters doth 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 high [in] heaven? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high.
13 And you say, How does God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
And thou hast said, 'What — hath God known? Through thickness doth He judge?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he sees not; and he walks in the circuit of heaven.
Thick clouds [are] a secret place to Him, And He doth not see;' And the circle of the heavens He walketh habitually,
15 Have you marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
The path of the age dost thou observe, That men of iniquity have trodden?
16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood:
Who have been cut down unexpectedly, A flood is poured out on their foundation.
17 Which said to God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
Those saying to God, 'Turn aside from us,' And what doth the Mighty One to them?
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
And he hath filled their houses [with] good: (And the counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)
19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
See do the righteous and they rejoice, And the innocent mocketh at them,
20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumes.
'Surely our substance hath not been cut off, And their excellency hath fire consumed.'
21 Acquaint now yourself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come to you.
Acquaint thyself, I pray thee, with Him, And be at peace, Thereby thine increase [is] good.
22 Receive, I pray you, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
Receive, I pray thee, from His mouth a law, And set His sayings 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 dost return unto the Mighty Thou art built up, Thou puttest iniquity far from thy tents.
24 Then shall you lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
So as to set on the dust a defence, And on a rock of the valleys a covering.
25 Yes, the Almighty shall be your defense, and you shall have plenty of silver.
And the Mighty hath been thy defence, And silver [is] strength to thee.
26 For then shall you have your delight in the Almighty, and shall lift up your face to God.
For then on the Mighty thou delightest thyself, And dost lift up unto God thy face,
27 You shall make your prayer to him, and he shall hear you, and you shall pay your vows.
Thou dost make supplication unto Him, And He doth hear thee, And thy vows thou completest.
28 You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established to you: and the light shall shine on your ways.
And thou decreest a saying, And it is established to thee, And on thy ways hath light shone.
29 When men are cast down, then you shall say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
For they have made low, And thou sayest, 'Lift up.' And the bowed down of eyes he saveth.
30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of your hands.
He delivereth the not innocent, Yea, he hath been delivered By the cleanness of thy hands.
