Job 22
1 Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 Can a man be serviceable unto God? Truly the intelligent is serviceable unto himself.
Can a man be profitable to God, as he that is wise may be 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 thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 Is it out of fear of thee that he will reproach thee? or go with thee into judgment?
Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 Is not thy evil great? and no end to thy iniquities?
Is not thy wickedness great? and thy iniquities without end?
6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brothers for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother without cause, 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.
Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast 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; and the honourable man dwelt in it.
9 Widows hast thou sent away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Thou hast 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 thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
11 Or seest thou not the darkness? and the abundance of water which covereth thee?
Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.
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 height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
13 But thou sayest, “What doth God know? can he judge behind the darkness?
And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
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, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.
15 Wilt thou [thus] observe the path of ancient times which the men of injustice have trodden?
Hast thou marked 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 cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood:
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 them?
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: and the innocent mock them.
20 “Is not he destroyed that rose up against us, and hath not the fire consumed what they had left?”
Though our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
21 Do but become acquainted with him, and be at peace: thereby will happiness come unto thee.
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: by this good shall come to thee.
22 Do but accept instruction from his mouth, and lay up his saying in thy heart.
Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy 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 thou shalt return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tents.
24 And throw down in the dust precious metals, and [the gold of] Ophir to the stones of the brooks:
Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
25 Then will the Almighty be thy precious metal, and brightly-shining silver unto thee.
Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
26 For then wilt thou have in the Almighty thy delight, and thou canst lift up unto God thy face.
For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face to God.
27 Thou wilt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and thy vows wilt thou pay.
Thou shalt make thy prayer to him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
28 And if thou decree a thing, it will be fulfilled unto thee; and upon thy ways the light will shine.
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established to thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 For when men are brought low, thou wilt say, Pride [hath done it]; but those of lowly eyes [God] will help.
When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, Lift them up; and he shall 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 shall deliver the isle of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thy hands.
