Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,
2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
Can a man be serviceable unto God? Truly the intelligent is serviceable unto himself.
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 that thou art righteous? or is it any 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?
Is it out of fear of thee that he will reproach thee? or go with thee into judgment?
5 Is not your wickedness great? and your iniquities infinite?
Is not thy evil great? and no end to thy iniquities?
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 from thy brothers for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
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 weary to drink, and from the hungry thou hast withholden bread.
8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.
But as for the man of a strong arm, he obtained the land, and the highly honored could dwell therein.
9 You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Widows hast thou sent away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Therefore snares are round about you, and sudden fear troubles you;
Therefore are snares round about thee, and sudden dread terrifieth thee.
11 Or darkness, that you can not see; and abundance of waters cover you.
Or seest thou not the darkness? and the abundance of water which covereth 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 heaven? and beholding the highest elevation of the stars, however high they are?
13 And you say, How does God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
But thou sayest, “What doth God know? can he judge behind the darkness?
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 for him, so that he will not see; and he walketh along on the circle of heaven.”
15 Have you marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
Wilt thou [thus] observe the path of ancient times which the men of injustice have trodden?
16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood:
Who were shrivelled up before their time, whose foundation was flooded away like a river;
17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
Who said unto God, “'Depart from us:” and what wrought the Almighty for them?
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
And yet it was he that filled their houses with good things; but the counsel of the wicked be [still] far from me.
19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
The righteous will see it, and be glad; and the innocent will laugh them to scorn.
20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumes.
“Is not he destroyed that rose up against us, and hath not the fire consumed what they had left?”
21 Acquaint now yourself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto you.
Do but become acquainted with him, and be at peace: thereby will happiness come unto thee.
22 Receive, I pray you, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
Do but accept instruction from his mouth, and lay up his saying 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, so thou wilt but remove wrong-doing far away from thy tents.
24 Then shall you lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
And throw down in the dust precious metals, and [the gold of] Ophir to the stones of the brooks:
25 Yea, the Almighty shall be your defence, and you shall have plenty of silver.
Then will the Almighty be thy precious metal, and brightly-shining silver unto thee.
26 For then shall you have your delight in the Almighty, and shall lift up your face unto God.
For then wilt thou have in the Almighty thy delight, and thou canst lift up unto God thy face.
27 You shall make your prayer unto him, and he shall hear you, and you shall pay your vows.
Thou wilt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and thy vows wilt thou pay.
28 You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto you: and the light shall shine upon your ways.
And if thou decree a thing, it will be fulfilled unto thee; and upon thy ways the light will shine.
29 When men are cast down, then you shall say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
For when men are brought low, thou wilt say, Pride [hath done it]; but those of lowly eyes [God] will help.
30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of your hands.
He will even deliver him who is not guiltless: and thou wilt be delivered by the purity of thy hands.
