Job 22
1 THEN Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,
2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
Is it not the Lord that teaches understanding and knowledge?
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
For what matters it to the Lord, if thou wert blameless in [thy] works? or is it profitable that thou shouldest perfect thy way?
4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
Wilt thou maintain and plead thine own cause? and will he enter into judgment with thee?
5 Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?
Is not thy wickedness abundant, and thy sins innumerable?
6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
And thou hast taken security of thy brethren for nothing, and hast taken away the clothing of the naked.
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
Neither hast thou given water to the thirsty to drink, but hast taken away the morsel of the hungry.
8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.
And thou hast accepted the persons of some; and thou hast established those [that were already settled] on the earth.
9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
But thou hast sent widows away empty, and has afflicted orphans.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
Therefore snares have compassed thee, and disastrous war has troubled thee.
11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.
The light has proved darkness to thee, and water has covered thee on thy lying down.
12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
Does not he that dwells in the high places observe? and has he not brought down the proud?
13 And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
And thou has said, What does the Mighty One know? does he judge in the dark?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.
A cloud is his hiding-place, and he shall not be seen; and he passes through the circle of heaven.
15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
Wilt thou [not] mark the old way, which righteous men have trodden?
16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
who were seized before their time: their foundations [are as] an overflowing stream.
17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
Who say, What will the Lord do to us? or what will the Almighty bring upon us?
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 for the wicked is far from him.
19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
The righteous have seen [it], and laughed, and the blameless one has derided [them].
20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
Verily their substance has been utterly destroyed, and the fire shall devour what is left of their [property].
21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
Be firm, I pray thee, if thou canst endure; then thy fruit shall prosper.
22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
And receive a declaration from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
And if thou shalt turn and humble thyself before the Lord, thou hast [thus] removed unrighteousness far from thy habitation.
24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
Thou shalt lay up for thyself [treasure] in a heap on the rock; and Sophir [shall be] as the rock of the torrent.
25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
So the Almighty shall be thy helper from enemies, and he shall bring thee forth pure as silver that has been tried by fire.
26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
Then shalt thou have boldness before the Lord, looking up cheerfully to heaven.
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
And he shall hear thee when thou prayest to him, and he shall grant thee [power] to pay thy vows.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
And he shall establish to thee again a habitation of righteousness and there shall be light upon thy paths.
29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
Because thou hast humbled thyself; and thou shalt say, [Man] has behaved proudly, but he shall save him that is of lowly eyes.
30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.
He shall deliver the innocent, and do thou save thyself by thy pure hands.
