Job 22
1 Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,
Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,
2 Can a man be serviceable unto God? Truly the intelligent is serviceable unto himself.
Is it not the Lord that teaches understanding and knowledge?
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?
For what matters it to the Lord, if you were blameless in [your] works? or is it profitable that you should perfect your way?
4 Is it out of fear of thee that he will reproach thee? or go with thee into judgment?
Will you maintain and plead your own cause? and will he enter into judgement with you?
5 Is not thy evil great? and no end to thy iniquities?
Is not your wickedness abundant, and your sins innumerable?
6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brothers for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
And you have taken security of your brethren for nothing, and have taken away the clothing of the naked.
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and from the hungry thou hast withholden bread.
Neither have you given water to the thirsty to drink, but have taken away the morsel of the hungry.
8 But as for the man of a strong arm, he obtained the land, and the highly honored could dwell therein.
And you have accepted the persons of some; and you have established those [that were already settled] on the earth.
9 Widows hast thou sent away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
But you have sent widows away empty, and has afflicted orphans.
10 Therefore are snares round about thee, and sudden dread terrifieth thee.
Therefore snares have compassed you, and disastrous war has troubled you.
11 Or seest thou not the darkness? and the abundance of water which covereth thee?
The light has proved darkness to you, and water has covered you on your lying down.
12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and beholding the highest elevation of the stars, however high they are?
Does not he that dwells in the high places observe? and has he not brought down the proud?
13 But thou sayest, “What doth God know? can he judge behind the darkness?
And you has said, What does the Mighty One know? does he judge in the dark?
14 Thick clouds are a covering for him, so that he will not see; and he walketh along on the circle of heaven.”
A cloud is his hiding-place, and he shall not be seen; and he passes through the circle of heaven.
15 Wilt thou [thus] observe the path of ancient times which the men of injustice have trodden?
Will you [not] mark the old way, which righteous men have trodden?
16 Who were shrivelled up before their time, whose foundation was flooded away like a river;
who were seized before their time: their foundations [are as] an overflowing stream.
17 Who said unto God, “'Depart from us:” and what wrought the Almighty for them?
Who say, What will the Lord do to us? or what will the Almighty bring upon 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 for the wicked is far from him.
19 The righteous will see it, and be glad; and the innocent will laugh them to scorn.
The righteous have seen [it], and laughed, and the blameless one has derided [them].
20 “Is not he destroyed that rose up against us, and hath not the fire consumed what they had left?”
Verily their substance has been utterly destroyed, and the fire shall devour what is left of their [property].
21 Do but become acquainted with him, and be at peace: thereby will happiness come unto thee.
Be firm, I pray you, if you can endure; then your fruit shall prosper.
22 Do but accept instruction from his mouth, and lay up his saying in thy heart.
And receive a declaration 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.
And if you shall turn and humble yourself before the Lord, you have [thus] removed unrighteousness far from your habitation.
24 And throw down in the dust precious metals, and [the gold of] Ophir to the stones of the brooks:
You shall lay up for yourself [treasure] in a heap on the rock; and Sophir [shall be] as the rock of the torrent.
25 Then will the Almighty be thy precious metal, and brightly-shining silver unto thee.
So the Almighty shall be your helper from enemies, and he shall bring you forth pure as silver that has been tried by fire.
26 For then wilt thou have in the Almighty thy delight, and thou canst lift up unto God thy face.
Then shall you have boldness before the Lord, looking up cheerfully to heaven.
27 Thou wilt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and thy vows wilt thou pay.
And he shall hear you when you pray to him, and he shall grant you [power] to pay your vows.
28 And if thou decree a thing, it will be fulfilled unto thee; and upon thy ways the light will shine.
And he shall establish to you again a habitation of righteousness and there shall be light upon your paths.
29 For when men are brought low, thou wilt say, Pride [hath done it]; but those of lowly eyes [God] will help.
Because you have humbled yourself; and you shall say, [Man] has behaved proudly, but he shall save him that is of lowly eyes.
30 He will even deliver him who is not guiltless: and thou wilt be delivered by the purity of thy hands.
He shall deliver the innocent, and do you save yourself by your pure hands.
