Job 22

1 And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: —

Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,

2 To God is a man profitable, Because a wise man to himself is profitable?

Is it not the Lord that teaches understanding and knowledge?

3 Is it a delight to the Mighty One That thou art righteous? is it gain, That thou makest perfect thy ways?

For what matters it to the Lord, if you were blameless in [your] works? or is it profitable that you should perfect your way?

4 Because of thy reverence Doth He reason [with] thee? He entereth with thee into judgment:

Will you maintain and plead your own cause? and will he enter into judgement with you?

5 Is not thy wickedness abundant? And there is no end to thine iniquities.

Is not your wickedness abundant, and your sins innumerable?

6 For thou takest a pledge of thy brother for nought, And the garments of the naked Thou dost strip off.

And you have taken security of your brethren for nothing, and have taken away the clothing of the naked.

7 Thou causest not the weary to drink water, And from the hungry thou withholdest bread.

Neither have you given water to the thirsty to drink, but have taken away the morsel of the hungry.

8 As to the man of arm — he hath the earth, And the accepted of face — he dwelleth in it.

And you have accepted the persons of some; and you have established those [that were already settled] on the earth.

9 Widows thou hast sent away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.

But you have sent widows away empty, and has afflicted orphans.

10 Therefore round about thee [are] snares, And trouble thee doth fear suddenly.

Therefore snares have compassed you, and disastrous war has troubled you.

11 Or darkness — thou dost not see, And abundance of waters doth cover thee.

The light has proved darkness to you, and water has covered you on your lying down.

12 Is not God high [in] heaven? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high.

Does not he that dwells in the high places observe? and has he not brought down the proud?

13 And thou hast said, 'What — hath God known? Through thickness doth He judge?

And you has said, What does the Mighty One know? does he judge in the dark?

14 Thick clouds [are] a secret place to Him, And He doth not see;' And the circle of the heavens He walketh habitually,

A cloud is his hiding-place, and he shall not be seen; and he passes through the circle of heaven.

15 The path of the age dost thou observe, That men of iniquity have trodden?

Will you [not] mark the old way, which righteous men have trodden?

16 Who have been cut down unexpectedly, A flood is poured out on their foundation.

who were seized before their time: their foundations [are as] an overflowing stream.

17 Those saying to God, 'Turn aside from us,' And what doth the Mighty One to them?

Who say, What will the Lord do to us? or what will the Almighty bring upon us?

18 And he hath filled their houses [with] good: (And the counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)

Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel for the wicked is far from him.

19 See do the righteous and they rejoice, And the innocent mocketh at them,

The righteous have seen [it], and laughed, and the blameless one has derided [them].

20 'Surely our substance hath not been cut off, And their excellency hath fire consumed.'

Verily their substance has been utterly destroyed, and the fire shall devour what is left of their [property].

21 Acquaint thyself, I pray thee, with Him, And be at peace, Thereby thine increase [is] good.

Be firm, I pray you, if you can endure; then your fruit shall prosper.

22 Receive, I pray thee, from His mouth a law, And set His sayings in thy heart.

And receive a declaration from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.

23 If thou dost return unto the Mighty Thou art built up, Thou puttest iniquity far from thy tents.

And if you shall turn and humble yourself before the Lord, you have [thus] removed unrighteousness far from your habitation.

24 So as to set on the dust a defence, And on a rock of the valleys a covering.

You shall lay up for yourself [treasure] in a heap on the rock; and Sophir [shall be] as the rock of the torrent.

25 And the Mighty hath been thy defence, And silver [is] strength to thee.

So the Almighty shall be your helper from enemies, and he shall bring you forth pure as silver that has been tried by fire.

26 For then on the Mighty thou delightest thyself, And dost lift up unto God thy face,

Then shall you have boldness before the Lord, looking up cheerfully to heaven.

27 Thou dost make supplication unto Him, And He doth hear thee, And thy vows thou completest.

And he shall hear you when you pray to him, and he shall grant you [power] to pay your vows.

28 And thou decreest a saying, And it is established to thee, And on thy ways hath light shone.

And he shall establish to you again a habitation of righteousness and there shall be light upon your paths.

29 For they have made low, And thou sayest, 'Lift up.' And the bowed down of eyes he saveth.

Because you have humbled yourself; and you shall say, [Man] has behaved proudly, but he shall save him that is of lowly eyes.

30 He delivereth the not innocent, Yea, he hath been delivered By the cleanness of thy hands.

He shall deliver the innocent, and do you save yourself by your pure hands.