Job 22

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:

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

Can a man be profitable unto God? Or can he that is wise be profitable unto Him?

3 Is it any pleasure to Shaddai, that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him, that you make your ways perfect?

Is it any advantage to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to Him, that thou makest thy ways blameless?

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

Is it for thy fear of Him that He reproveth thee, that He entereth with thee into judgment?

5 Isn't your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.

Is not thy wickedness great? And are not thine iniquities without end?

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

For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

7 You haven't given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.

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

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

And as a mighty man, who hath the earth, and as a man of rank, who dwelleth in it,

9 You have sent widows 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 snares are around you. Sudden fear troubles you,

Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden dread affrighted thee,

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

Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and abundance of waters cover thee.

12 "Isn't God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are.

Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the topmost of the stars, how high they are!

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

And thou sayest: 'What doth God know? Can He judge through the dark cloud?

14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn't see. He walks on the vault of the sky.'

Thick clouds are a covering to Him, that He seeth not; and He walketh in the circuit of heaven.'

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

Wilt thou keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?

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

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

17 who said to God, 'Depart from us;' and, 'What can Shaddai do for us?'

Who said unto God: 'Depart from us'; and what could the Almighty do unto them?

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 of the wicked is far from me.

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

The righteous saw it, and were glad, and the innocent laugh them to scorn:

20 saying, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed the remnant of them.'

'Surely their substance is cut off, and their abundance the fire hath consumed.'

21 "Acquaint yourself with him, now, and be at peace. Thereby good shall come to you.

Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace; thereby shall thine increase be good.

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

Receive, I pray thee, instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in thy heart.

23 If you return to Shaddai, you shall be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.

If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up — if thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents,

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

And lay thy treasure in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks;

25 Shaddai will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.

And the Almighty be thy treasure, and precious silver unto thee;

26 For then you will delight yourself in Shaddai, and shall lift up your face to God.

Then surely shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.

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

Thou shalt make thy prayer unto Him, and He will hear thee, and thou shalt 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.

Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee, and light shall shine upon thy ways.

29 When they cast down, you shall say, 'be lifted up.' And he will save the humble.

When they cast thee down, thou shalt say: 'There is lifting up'; for the humble person He saveth.

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

He delivereth him that is innocent, yea, thou shalt be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.