Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 “Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
Can a man be profitable to God, as he that is wise may be profitable to himself?
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him that you make your ways perfect?
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that you are righteous? or is it gain to him, that you make your ways perfect?
4 Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgement?
Will he reprove you for fear of you? will he enter with you into judgment?
5 Isn’t your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.
Is not your wickedness great? and your iniquities infinite?
6 For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
For you have taken a pledge from your brother for nothing, 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.
You have not given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honourable man, he lived in it.
But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honorable man dwelled in it.
9 You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
You have 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 you, and sudden fear troubles you;
11 or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.
Or darkness, that you can not see; and abundance of waters cover you.
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 height of the stars, how high they are!
13 You say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
And you say, How does 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 sees not; and he walks in the circuit of heaven.
15 Will you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,
Have you marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood:
17 who said to God, ‘Depart from us!’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do for us?’
Which said to God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for 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 see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
20 saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’
Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumes.
21 “Acquaint yourself with him now, and be at peace. By it, good will come to you.
Acquaint now yourself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come to you.
22 Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
Receive, I pray you, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.
If you return to the Almighty, you shall be built up, you shall put away iniquity far from your tabernacles.
24 Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir amongst the stones of the brooks.
Then shall you lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
25 The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.
Yes, the Almighty shall be your defense, and you shall have plenty of silver.
26 For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God.
For then shall you have your delight in the Almighty, and shall lift up your face to God.
27 You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You will pay your vows.
You shall make your prayer to him, and he shall hear you, and you shall pay your vows.
28 You will also decree a thing, and it will be established to you. Light will shine on your ways.
You shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established to you: and the light shall shine on your ways.
29 When they cast down, you will say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.
When men are cast down, then you shall say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
30 He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”
He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of your hands.
