Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,
2 Can a man be profitable to God, as he that is wise may be profitable to himself?
Can a man be serviceable unto God? Truly the intelligent is serviceable unto himself.
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 that thou art righteous? or is it any 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?
Is it out of fear of thee that he will reproach thee? or go with thee into judgment?
5 [Is] not thy wickedness great? and thy iniquities infinite?
Is not thy evil great? and no end to thy iniquities?
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 from thy brothers 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 from the hungry thou hast withholden bread.
8 But [as for] the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honorable man dwelt in it.
But as for the man of a strong arm, he obtained the land, and the highly honored could dwell therein.
9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Widows hast thou sent away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Therefore snares [are] around thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
Therefore are snares round about thee, and sudden dread terrifieth thee.
11 Or darkness, [that] thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.
Or seest thou not the darkness? and the abundance of water which covereth 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 beholding the highest elevation of the stars, however high they are?
13 And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
But thou sayest, “What doth God know? can he judge behind the 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 for him, so that he will not see; and he walketh along on the circle of heaven.”
15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
Wilt thou [thus] observe the path of ancient times which the men of injustice have trodden?
16 Who were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood!
Who were shrivelled up before their time, whose foundation was flooded away like a river;
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 wrought the Almighty for them?
18 Yet he filled their houses with good [things]: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
And yet it was he that filled their houses with good things; but the counsel of the wicked be [still] far from me.
19 The righteous see [it], and are glad: and the innocent deride them.
The righteous will see it, and be glad; and the innocent will laugh them to scorn.
20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
“Is not he destroyed that rose up against us, and hath not the fire consumed what they had left?”
21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: by this good shall come to thee.
Do but become acquainted with him, and be at peace: thereby will happiness come unto thee.
22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.
Do but accept instruction from his mouth, and lay up his saying 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, so thou wilt but remove wrong-doing far away from thy tents.
24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the [gold] of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
And throw down in the dust precious metals, and [the gold of] Ophir to the stones of the brooks:
25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defense and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
Then will the Almighty be thy precious metal, and brightly-shining silver unto thee.
26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face to God.
For then wilt thou have in the Almighty thy delight, and thou canst lift up unto God thy face.
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer to him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
Thou wilt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and thy vows wilt thou pay.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established to thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
And if thou decree a thing, it will be fulfilled unto thee; and upon thy ways the light will shine.
29 When [men] are cast down, then thou shalt say, [There is] exaltation; and he shall save the humble person.
For when men are brought low, thou wilt say, Pride [hath done it]; but those of lowly eyes [God] will help.
30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thy hands.
He will even deliver him who is not guiltless: and thou wilt be delivered by the purity of thy hands.
