< Job 22 >

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
And Eliphaz the Temanite answers and says:
2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
“Is a man profitable to God, Because a wise man is profitable to himself?
3 [Is it] any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or [is it] gain [to him], that thou makest thy ways perfect?
Is it a delight to the Mighty One That you are righteous? Is it gain, That you make your ways perfect?
4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
Because of your reverence Does He reason [with] you? He enters with you into judgment:
5 [Is] not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?
Is your wickedness not abundant? And there is no end to your iniquities.
6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
For you take a pledge of your brother for nothing, And you strip off the garments of the naked.
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
You do not cause the weary to drink water, And you withhold bread from the hungry.
8 But [as for] the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.
As for the man of arm—he has the earth, And the accepted of face—he dwells in it.
9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
You have sent widows away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.
10 Therefore snares [are] round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
Therefore snares [are] all around you, And sudden fear troubles you.
11 Or darkness, [that] thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.
Or darkness—you do not see, And abundance of waters covers you.
12 [Is] not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
Is God not high [in] the heavens? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high.
13 And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
And you have said, How has God known? Does He judge through thickness?
14 Thick clouds [are] a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.
Thick clouds [are] a secret place to Him, And He does not see, And He habitually walks [above] the circle of the heavens.
15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
Do you observe the path of the age, That men of iniquity have trodden,
16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
Who have been cut down unexpectedly? A flood is poured out on their foundation.
17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
Those saying to God, Turn aside from us, And what does the Mighty One do to them?
18 Yet he filled their houses with good [things: ] but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
And He has filled their houses [with] good (And the counsel of the wicked Has been far from me).
19 The righteous see [it], and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
The righteous see and they rejoice, And the innocent mocks at them:
20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
Surely our substance has not been cut off, And fire has consumed their excellence.
21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace, Thereby your increase [is] good.
22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
Please receive a law from His mouth, And set His sayings in your heart.
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
If you return to the Mighty you are built up, You put iniquity far from your tents.
24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the [gold] of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
So as to set a defense on the dust, And a covering on a rock of the valleys.
25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
And the Mighty has been your defense, And silver [is] strength to you.
26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
For then you delight yourself on the Mighty, And lift up your face to God,
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
You make supplication to Him, And He hears you, And you complete your vows.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
And you decree a saying, And it is established to you, And light has shone on your ways.
29 When [men] are cast down, then thou shalt say, [There is] lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
For they have made low, And you say, Lift up. And He saves the bowed down of eyes.
30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.
He delivers the one [who is] not innocent, Indeed, he has been delivered By the cleanness of your hands.”

< Job 22 >