Job 22

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

Then Eliphaz the Themanite responded by saying:

2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?

Can man be compared with God, even if he were perfect in knowledge?

3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that you are righteous? or is it gain to him, that you make your ways perfect?

What advantage is it to God, if you were just? Or what do you provide for him, if your way should be immaculate?

4 Will he reprove you for fear of you? will he enter with you into judgment?

Will he reprove you and take you to judgment for being afraid,

5 Is not your wickedness great? and your iniquities infinite?

and not because of your many evil deeds and your infinite unfairness?

6 For you have taken a pledge from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

For you have taken away the collateral of your brothers without cause, and stripped them naked of their clothing.

7 You have not given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.

You have not given water to the weary; you have taken bread away from the hungry.

8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.

By the strength of your arm, you took possession of the land, and you retain it by being the strongest.

9 You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

You have sent widows away empty, and you have crushed the shoulders of orphans.

10 Therefore snares are round about you, and sudden fear troubles you;

Because of this, you are surrounded by traps, and unexpected fears will disturb you.

11 Or darkness, that you can not see; and abundance of waters cover you.

And did you think that you would not see darkness and that you were not to be overwhelmed by the onrush of overflowing waters?

12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

Have you not considered that God is higher than the heavens and is lifted above the height of the stars?

13 And you say, How does God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?

And you say: “Well, what does God know?” and, “He judges, as if through a fog,”

14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he sees not; and he walks in the circuit of heaven.

and, “The clouds are his hiding-place,” and, “He does not examine us closely,” and, “He makes his rounds at the limits of the heavens.”

15 Have you marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?

Do you not want to tend the path of the ages, which wicked men have spurned?

16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood:

These were taken away before their time, and a flood overthrew their foundation.

17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?

They said to God, “Withdraw from us,” and they treated the Almighty as if he could do nothing,

18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

though he had filled their houses with good things. May their way of thinking be far from me.

19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.

The just will see and will rejoice, and the innocent will mock them.

20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumes.

Has not their haughtiness been cut down, and has not fire devoured the remnants of them?

21 Acquaint now yourself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto you.

So, repose yourself with him and be at peace, and, in this way, you will have the best fruits.

22 Receive, I pray you, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.

Accept the law from his mouth, and place 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 will return to the Almighty, you will be rebuilt, and you will put sinfulness far from your tabernacle.

24 Then shall you lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.

He will give you stone in place of dirt, and torrents of gold in place of stone.

25 Yea, the Almighty shall be your defence, and you shall have plenty of silver.

And the Almighty will be against your enemies, and silver will be gathered together for you.

26 For then shall you have your delight in the Almighty, and shall lift up your face unto God.

Then will you flock together in delight over the Almighty, and you will 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 plead with him, and he will listen to you, and you will pay your vows.

28 You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto you: and the light shall shine upon your ways.

You will decide on something, and it will come to you, and the light will shine in your ways.

29 When men are cast down, then you shall say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.

For he who had been humbled, will be in glory; and he who will lower his eyes, will be the one saved.

30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of your hands.

The innocent will be saved, and he will be saved with purity in his hands.