Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,
2 "Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
Is it not the Lord that teaches understanding and knowledge?
3 Is it any pleasure to Shaddai, that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him, that you make your ways perfect?
For what matters it to the Lord, if thou wert blameless in [thy] works? or is it profitable that thou shouldest perfect thy way?
4 Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?
Wilt thou maintain and plead thine own cause? and will he enter into judgment with thee?
5 Isn't your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.
Is not thy wickedness abundant, and thy sins innumerable?
6 For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
And thou hast taken security of thy brethren for nothing, and hast taken away the clothing of the naked.
7 You haven't given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
Neither hast thou given water to the thirsty to drink, but hast taken away the morsel of the hungry.
8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honorable man, he lived in it.
And thou hast accepted the persons of some; and thou hast established those [that were already settled] on the earth.
9 You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
But thou hast sent widows away empty, and has afflicted orphans.
10 Therefore snares are around you. Sudden fear troubles you,
Therefore snares have compassed thee, and disastrous war has troubled thee.
11 or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.
The light has proved darkness to thee, and water has covered thee on thy lying down.
12 "Isn't God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are.
Does not he that dwells in the high places observe? and has he not brought down the proud?
13 You say, 'What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
And thou has said, What does the Mighty One know? does he judge in the dark?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn't see. He walks on the vault of the sky.'
A cloud is his hiding-place, and he shall not be seen; and he passes through the circle of heaven.
15 Will you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,
Wilt thou [not] mark the old way, which righteous men have trodden?
16 who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
who were seized before their time: their foundations [are as] an overflowing stream.
17 who said to God, 'Depart from us;' and, 'What can Shaddai do for us?'
Who say, What will the Lord do to us? or what will the Almighty bring upon us?
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things, but the counsel of the wicked is 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 it, and are glad. The innocent ridicule them,
The righteous have seen [it], and laughed, and the blameless one has derided [them].
20 saying, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed the remnant of them.'
Verily their substance has been utterly destroyed, and the fire shall devour what is left of their [property].
21 "Acquaint yourself with him, now, and be at peace. Thereby good shall come to you.
Be firm, I pray thee, if thou canst endure; then thy fruit shall prosper.
22 Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
And receive a declaration from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
23 If you return to Shaddai, you shall be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.
And if thou shalt turn and humble thyself before the Lord, thou hast [thus] removed unrighteousness far from thy habitation.
24 Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
Thou shalt lay up for thyself [treasure] in a heap on the rock; and Sophir [shall be] as the rock of the torrent.
25 Shaddai will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.
So the Almighty shall be thy helper from enemies, and he shall bring thee forth pure as silver that has been tried by fire.
26 For then you will delight yourself in Shaddai, and shall lift up your face to God.
Then shalt thou have boldness before the Lord, looking up cheerfully to heaven.
27 You shall make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You shall pay your vows.
And he shall hear thee when thou prayest to him, and he shall grant thee [power] to pay thy vows.
28 And you will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.
And he shall establish to thee again a habitation of righteousness and there shall be light upon thy paths.
29 When they cast down, you shall say, 'be lifted up.' And he will save the humble.
Because thou hast humbled thyself; and thou shalt say, [Man] has behaved proudly, but he shall save him that is of lowly eyes.
30 He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of your hands."
He shall deliver the innocent, and do thou save thyself by thy pure hands.
