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