Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,
Then Eliphaz the Themanite responded by saying:
2 Is it not the Lord that teaches understanding and knowledge?
Can man be compared with God, even if he were perfect in knowledge?
3 For what matters it to the Lord, if you were blameless in [your] works? or is it profitable that you should perfect your way?
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 you maintain and plead your own cause? and will he enter into judgment with you?
Will he reprove you and take you to judgment for being afraid,
5 Is not your wickedness abundant, and your sins innumerable?
and not because of your many evil deeds and your infinite unfairness?
6 And you have taken security of your brethren for nothing, and have taken away the clothing of the naked.
For you have taken away the collateral of your brothers without cause, and stripped them naked of their clothing.
7 Neither have you given water to the thirsty to drink, but have taken away the morsel of the hungry.
You have not given water to the weary; you have taken bread away from the hungry.
8 And you have accepted the persons of some; and you have established those [that were already settled] on the earth.
By the strength of your arm, you took possession of the land, and you retain it by being the strongest.
9 But you have sent widows away empty, and has afflicted orphans.
You have sent widows away empty, and you have crushed the shoulders of orphans.
10 Therefore snares have compassed you, and disastrous war has troubled you.
Because of this, you are surrounded by traps, and unexpected fears will disturb you.
11 The light has proved darkness to you, and water has covered you on your lying down.
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 Does not he that dwells in the high places observe? and has he not brought down the proud?
Have you not considered that God is higher than the heavens and is lifted above the height of the stars?
13 And you has said, What does the Mighty One know? does he judge in the dark?
And you say: “Well, what does God know?” and, “He judges, as if through a fog,”
14 A cloud is his hiding-place, and he shall not be seen; and he passes through the circle 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 Will you [not] mark the old way, which righteous men have trodden?
Do you not want to tend the path of the ages, which wicked men have spurned?
16 who were seized before their time: their foundations [are as] an overflowing stream.
These were taken away before their time, and a flood overthrew their foundation.
17 Who say, What will the Lord do to us? or what will the Almighty bring upon us?
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 for the wicked is far from him.
though he had filled their houses with good things. May their way of thinking be far from me.
19 The righteous have seen [it], and laughed, and the blameless one has derided [them].
The just will see and will rejoice, and the innocent will mock them.
20 Verily their substance has been utterly destroyed, and the fire shall devour what is left of their [property].
Has not their haughtiness been cut down, and has not fire devoured the remnants of them?
21 Be firm, I pray you, if you can endure; then your fruit shall prosper.
So, repose yourself with him and be at peace, and, in this way, you will have the best fruits.
22 And receive a declaration 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 And if you shall turn and humble yourself before the Lord, you have [thus] removed unrighteousness far from your habitation.
If you will return to the Almighty, you will be rebuilt, and you will put sinfulness far from your tabernacle.
24 You shall lay up for yourself [treasure] in a heap on the rock; and Sophir [shall be] as the rock of the torrent.
He will give you stone in place of dirt, and torrents of gold in place of stone.
25 So the Almighty shall be your helper from enemies, and he shall bring you forth pure as silver that has been tried by fire.
And the Almighty will be against your enemies, and silver will be gathered together for you.
26 Then shall you have boldness before the Lord, looking up cheerfully to heaven.
Then will you flock together in delight over the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God.
27 And he shall hear you when you pray to him, and he shall grant you [power] to pay your vows.
You will plead with him, and he will listen to you, and you will pay your vows.
28 And he shall establish to you again a habitation of righteousness and there shall be light upon your paths.
You will decide on something, and it will come to you, and the light will shine in your ways.
29 Because you have humbled yourself; and you shall say, [Man] has behaved proudly, but he shall save him that is of lowly eyes.
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 innocent, and do you save yourself by your pure hands.
The innocent will be saved, and he will be saved with purity in his hands.
