Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
“Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him?
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that you are righteous? or is it gain to him, that you make your ways perfect?
Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous? Does He profit if your ways are blameless?
4 Will he reprove you for fear of you? will he enter with you into judgment?
Is it for your reverence that He rebukes you and enters into judgment against you?
5 Is not your wickedness great? and your iniquities infinite?
Is not your wickedness great? Are not your iniquities endless?
6 For you have taken a pledge from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers and deprived the naked of their clothing.
7 You have not given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
You gave no water to the weary and withheld food from the famished,
8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.
while the land belonged to a mighty man, and a man of honor lived on it.
9 You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
10 Therefore snares are round about you, and sudden fear troubles you;
Therefore snares surround you, and sudden peril terrifies you;
11 Or darkness, that you can not see; and abundance of waters cover you.
it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.
12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 And you say, How does God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he sees not; and he walks in the circuit of heaven.
Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us as He traverses the vault of heaven.’
15 Have you marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod?
16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood:
They were snatched away before their time, and their foundations were swept away by a flood.
17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
They said to God, ‘Depart from us. What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent mock them:
20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumes.
‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’
21 Acquaint now yourself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto you.
Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.
22 Receive, I pray you, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you shall be built up, you shall put away iniquity far from your tabernacles.
If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents
24 Then shall you lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,
25 Yea, the Almighty shall be your defence, and you shall have plenty of silver.
then the Almighty will be your gold and the finest silver for you.
26 For then shall you have your delight in the Almighty, and shall lift up your face unto God.
Surely then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
27 You shall make your prayer unto him, and he shall hear you, and you shall pay your vows.
You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
28 You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto you: and the light shall shine upon your ways.
Your decisions will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways.
29 When men are cast down, then you shall say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the lowly.
30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of your hands.
He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”
