Job 22

1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2 Can a man be profitable unto God? surely he that is wise is profitable unto himself.

“Can a man be useful to God? Can a wise man be useful to him?

3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain [to him], that thou makest thy ways perfect?

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous? Is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?

4 Is it for thy fear [of him] that he reproveth thee, that he entereth with thee into judgment?

Is it because of your reverence for him that he rebukes you and takes you to judgment?

5 Is not thy wickedness great? neither is there any end to thine iniquities.

Is not your wickedness great? Is there no end to your iniquities?

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

For you have demanded guarantee of a loan from your brother for no reason, and you have stripped away clothing from the naked.

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

You have not given water to weary people to drink; you have withheld bread from hungry people

8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man, he dwelt in it.

although you, a mighty man, possessed the earth, although you, an honored man, lived in it.

9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

You have sent widows away empty; the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee,

Therefore, snares are all around you, and sudden fear troubles you.

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

There is darkness, so that you cannot see; an abundance of waters covers you.

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

Is not God in the heights of heaven? Look at the height of the stars, how high they are!

13 And thou sayest, What doth God know? can he judge through the thick darkness?

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

14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.

Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he does not see us; he walks on the vault of heaven.'

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

Will you keep the old way that wicked men have walked—

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

those who were snatched away before their time, those whose foundations have washed away like a river,

17 Who said unto God, Depart from us; and, What can the Almighty do for us?

those who said to God, 'Depart from us'; those who said, 'What can the Almighty do to us?'

18 Yet he fired their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

Yet he filled their houses with good things; the plans of wicked people are far from me.

19 The righteous see it, and are glad; and the innocent laugh them to scorn:

Righteous people see their fate and are glad; innocent people laugh them to scorn.

20 [Saying], Surely they that did rise up against us are cut off, and the remnant of them the fire hath consumed.

They say, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off; fire has consumed their possessions.'

21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

Now agree with God and be at peace with him; in that way, good will come to you.

22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.

Receive, I beg you, instruction from his mouth; store up his words in your heart.

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

If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put unrighteousness far away from your tents.

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

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

25 And the Almighty shall be thy treasure, and precious silver unto thee.

and the Almighty will be your treasure, precious silver to you.

26 For then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.

For then you will take pleasure in the Almighty; you will lift up your face to God.

27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee; and thou shalt pay thy vows.

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

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

You will also decree anything, and it will be confirmed for you; light will shine on your paths.

29 When they cast [thee] down, thou shalt say, [There is] lifting up; and the humble person he shall save.

God humbles a proud man, and he saves the one with lowered eyes.

30 He shall deliver [even] him that is not innocent: yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thine hands.

He will rescue even the man who is not innocent; who will be rescued through the cleanness of your hands.”