Job 22

1 Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

2 Can a man be serviceable unto God? Truly the intelligent is serviceable unto himself.

“Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.

3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous? or is it any gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him that you make your ways perfect?

4 Is it out of fear of thee that he will reproach thee? or go with thee into judgment?

Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?

5 Is not thy evil great? and no end to thy iniquities?

Is not your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.

6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brothers for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and from the hungry thou hast withholden bread.

You have not given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.

8 But as for the man of a strong arm, he obtained the land, and the highly honored could dwell therein.

But as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honorable man, he lived in it.

9 Widows hast thou sent away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

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

10 Therefore are snares round about thee, and sudden dread terrifieth thee.

Therefore snares are around you. Sudden fear troubles you,

11 Or seest thou not the darkness? and the abundance of water which covereth thee?

or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.

12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and beholding the highest elevation of the stars, however high they are?

“Is not God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!

13 But thou sayest, “What doth God know? can he judge behind the darkness?

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

14 Thick clouds are a covering for him, so that he will not see; and he walketh along on the circle of heaven.”

Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he does not see. He walks on the vault of the sky.’

15 Wilt thou [thus] observe the path of ancient times which the men of injustice have trodden?

Will you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,

16 Who were shrivelled up before their time, whose foundation was flooded away like a river;

who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,

17 Who said unto God, “'Depart from us:” and what wrought the Almighty for them?

who said to God, ‘Depart from us!’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do for us?’

18 And yet it was he that filled their houses with good things; but the counsel of the wicked be [still] far from me.

Yet he filled their houses with good things, but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

19 The righteous will see it, and be glad; and the innocent will laugh them to scorn.

The righteous see it, and are glad. The innocent ridicule them,

20 “Is not he destroyed that rose up against us, and hath not the fire consumed what they had left?”

saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’

21 Do but become acquainted with him, and be at peace: thereby will happiness come unto thee.

“Acquaint yourself with him now, and be at peace. By it, good will come to you.

22 Do but accept instruction from his mouth, and lay up his saying in thy heart.

Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.

23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, so thou wilt but remove wrong-doing far away from thy tents.

If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.

24 And throw down in the dust precious metals, and [the gold of] Ophir to the stones of the brooks:

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

25 Then will the Almighty be thy precious metal, and brightly-shining silver unto thee.

The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.

26 For then wilt thou have in the Almighty thy delight, and thou canst lift up unto God thy face.

For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God.

27 Thou wilt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and thy vows wilt thou pay.

You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You will pay your vows.

28 And if thou decree a thing, it will be fulfilled unto thee; and upon thy ways the light will shine.

You will also decree a thing, and it will be established to you. Light will shine on your ways.

29 For when men are brought low, thou wilt say, Pride [hath done it]; but those of lowly eyes [God] will help.

When they cast down, you will say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.

30 He will even deliver him who is not guiltless: and thou wilt be delivered by the purity of thy hands.

He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”