Job 22

1 Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2 Is it not the Lord that teaches understanding and knowledge?

“Can a man be useful to God? Can a wise man be useful to him?

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 any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous? Is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?

4 Will you maintain and plead your own cause? and will he enter into judgment with you?

Is it because of your reverence for him that he rebukes you and takes you to judgment?

5 Is not your wickedness abundant, and your sins innumerable?

Is not your wickedness great? Is there 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 have demanded guarantee of a loan from your brother for no reason, and you have stripped away clothing from the naked.

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 weary people to drink; you have withheld bread from hungry people

8 And you have accepted the persons of some; and you have established those [that were already settled] on the earth.

although you, a mighty man, possessed the earth, although you, an honored man, lived in it.

9 But you have sent widows away empty, and has afflicted orphans.

You have sent widows away empty; the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

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.

There is darkness, so that you cannot see; an 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 not God in the heights of heaven? Look at the height of the stars, how high they are!

13 And you has said, What does the Mighty One know? does he judge in the dark?

You say, 'What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?

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 covering to him, so that he does not see us; he walks on the vault of heaven.'

15 Will you [not] mark the old way, which righteous men have trodden?

Will you keep the old way that wicked men have walked—

16 who were seized before their time: their foundations [are as] an overflowing stream.

those who were snatched away before their time, those whose foundations have washed away like a river,

17 Who say, What will the Lord do to us? or what will the Almighty bring upon us?

those who said to God, 'Depart from us'; those who said, 'What can the Almighty do to us?'

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

Yet he filled their houses with good things; the plans of wicked people are far from me.

19 The righteous have seen [it], and laughed, and the blameless one has derided [them].

Righteous people see their fate and are glad; innocent people laugh them to scorn.

20 Verily their substance has been utterly destroyed, and the fire shall devour what is left of their [property].

They say, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off; fire has consumed their possessions.'

21 Be firm, I pray you, if you can endure; then your fruit shall prosper.

Now agree with God and be at peace with him; in that way, good will come to you.

22 And receive a declaration from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.

Receive, I beg you, instruction from his mouth; store up 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 return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put unrighteousness far away 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.

Lay your treasure down in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,

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 your treasure, precious silver to you.

26 Then shall you have boldness before the Lord, looking up cheerfully to heaven.

For then you will take pleasure in the Almighty; 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 make your prayer to him, and he will hear you; you will pay your vows to him.

28 And he shall establish to you again a habitation of righteousness and there shall be light upon your paths.

You will also decree anything, and it will be confirmed for you; light will shine on your paths.

29 Because you have humbled yourself; and you shall say, [Man] has behaved proudly, but he shall save him that is of lowly eyes.

God humbles a proud man, and he saves the one with lowered eyes.

30 He shall deliver the innocent, and do you save yourself by your pure hands.

He will rescue even the man who is not innocent; who will be rescued through the cleanness of your hands.”