Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,
And Eliphaz the Temanite answers and says:
2 Is it not the Lord that teaches understanding and knowledge?
“Is a man profitable to God, Because a wise man is profitable to himself?
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?
Is it a delight to the Mighty One That you are righteous? Is it gain, That you make your ways perfect?
4 Will you maintain and plead your own cause? and will he enter into judgment with you?
Because of your reverence Does He reason [with] you? He enters with you into judgment:
5 Is not your wickedness abundant, and your sins innumerable?
Is your wickedness not abundant? And there is no end to your iniquities.
6 And you have taken security of your brethren for nothing, and have taken away the clothing of the naked.
For you take a pledge of your brother for nothing, And you strip off the garments of the naked.
7 Neither have you given water to the thirsty to drink, but have taken away the morsel of the hungry.
You do not cause the weary to drink water, And you withhold bread from the hungry.
8 And you have accepted the persons of some; and you have established those [that were already settled] on the earth.
As for the man of arm—he has the earth, And the accepted of face—he dwells in it.
9 But you have sent widows away empty, and has afflicted orphans.
You have sent widows away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.
10 Therefore snares have compassed you, and disastrous war has troubled you.
Therefore snares [are] all around you, And sudden fear troubles you.
11 The light has proved darkness to you, and water has covered you on your lying down.
Or darkness—you do not see, And abundance of waters covers you.
12 Does not he that dwells in the high places observe? and has he not brought down the proud?
Is God not high [in] the heavens? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high.
13 And you has said, What does the Mighty One know? does he judge in the dark?
And you have said, How has God known? Does He judge through thickness?
14 A cloud is his hiding-place, and he shall not be seen; and he passes through the circle 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 Will you [not] mark the old way, which righteous men have trodden?
Do you observe the path of the age, That men of iniquity have trodden,
16 who were seized before their time: their foundations [are as] an overflowing stream.
Who have been cut down unexpectedly? A flood is poured out on their foundation.
17 Who say, What will the Lord do to us? or what will the Almighty bring upon us?
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 for the wicked is far from him.
And He has filled their houses [with] good (And the counsel of the wicked Has been far from me).
19 The righteous have seen [it], and laughed, and the blameless one has derided [them].
The righteous see and they rejoice, And the innocent mocks at them:
20 Verily their substance has been utterly destroyed, and the fire shall devour what is left of their [property].
Surely our substance has not been cut off, And fire has consumed their excellence.
21 Be firm, I pray you, if you can endure; then your fruit shall prosper.
Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace, Thereby your increase [is] good.
22 And receive a declaration from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
Please receive a law from His mouth, And set His sayings 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 return to the Mighty you are built up, You put iniquity far from your tents.
24 You shall lay up for yourself [treasure] in a heap on the rock; and Sophir [shall be] as the rock of the torrent.
So as to set a defense on the dust, And a covering on a rock of the valleys.
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 Mighty has been your defense, And silver [is] strength to you.
26 Then shall you have boldness before the Lord, looking up cheerfully to heaven.
For then you delight yourself on the Mighty, And 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 make supplication to Him, And He hears you, And you complete your vows.
28 And he shall establish to you again a habitation of righteousness and there shall be light upon your paths.
And you decree a saying, And it is established to you, And light has shone on 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 they have made low, And you say, Lift up. And He saves the bowed down of eyes.
30 He shall deliver the innocent, and do you save yourself by your pure hands.
He delivers the one [who is] not innocent, Indeed, he has been delivered By the cleanness of your hands.”
