< Job 22 >

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
And Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 Can a man be profitable to God, as he that is wise may be profitable to himself?
Can a man be profitable to God? surely it is unto himself that the wise man is profitable.
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 thou art righteous? And is it gain [to him] that thou makest thy ways perfect?
4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
Will he reason with thee for fear of thee? Will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 [Is] not thy wickedness great? and thy iniquities infinite?
Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities without end?
6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for naught, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
For thou hast taken a pledge of thy brother for nought, and stripped off the clothing of the naked.
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withheld bread from the hungry.
Thou hast not given water to the fainting to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
8 But [as for] the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honorable man dwelt in it.
But the powerful man, he had the land; and the man of high rank dwelt in it.
9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Widows hast thou sent empty away, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Therefore snares [are] around thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
11 Or darkness, [that] thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.
Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and floods of waters cover thee.
12 [Is] not God in the hight of heaven? and behold the hight of the stars, how high they are!
Is not God in the height of the heavens? And behold the summit of the stars: how exalted are they!
13 And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
And thou sayest, What doth God know? will he judge through the dark cloud?
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, that he seeth not; and he walketh on the vault of the heavens.
15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
Dost thou mark the ancient path which wicked men have trodden?
16 Who were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood!
Who were carried off before the time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood;
17 Who said to God, depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them!
Who said unto God, Depart from us! and what could the Almighty do to 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. But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 The righteous see [it], and are glad: and the innocent deride them.
The righteous see it, and are glad; and the innocent laugh them to scorn:
20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
Is not he who rose against us destroyed, and doth not the fire consume his residue?
21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: by this good shall come to thee.
Reconcile thyself now with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.
Receive, I pray thee, instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.
23 If thou shalt return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up. If thou remove unrighteousness far from thy tents,
24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the [gold] of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
And put the precious ore with the dust, and [the gold of] Ophir among the stones of the torrents,
25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defense and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
Then the Almighty will be thy precious ore, and silver heaped up unto thee;
26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face to God.
Yea, then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God:
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer to him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established to thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
And thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee; and light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 When [men] are cast down, then thou shalt say, [There is] exaltation; and he shall save the humble person.
When they are made low, then thou shalt say, Rise up! and he shall save him that is of downcast eyes.
30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thy hands.
[Even] him that is not innocent shall he deliver; yea, he shall be delivered by the pureness of thy hands.

< Job 22 >