Job 22

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, 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 unto God? Or can he that is wise be profitable unto 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 advantage to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to Him, that thou makest thy ways blameless?

4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?

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

5 [Is] not thy wickedness great? and thy iniquities infinite?

Is not thy wickedness great? And are not 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 pledges of thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

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 weary 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.

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

9 Thou hast 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 thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;

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

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

Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and abundance 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 heaven? And behold the topmost of the stars, how high they are!

13 And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?

And thou sayest: 'What doth God know? Can 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 in the circuit of heaven.'

15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?

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

16 Who were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood!

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 the Almighty do for them!

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: and the innocent deride them.

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

20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.

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

21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: by this good shall come to thee.

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

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

25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defense and thou shalt have plenty of silver.

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

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

Then surely shalt thou have thy delight 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.

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

30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thy hands.

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