Ἰώβ 22

1 ὑπολαβὼν δὲ Ελιφας ὁ Θαιμανίτης λέγει

Then Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said,

2 πότερον οὐχὶ ὁ κύριός ἐστιν ὁ διδάσκων σύνεσιν καὶ ἐπιστήμην

Is it possible for a man to be of profit to God? No, for a man's wisdom is only of profit to himself.

3 τί γὰρ μέλει τῷ κυρίῳ ἐὰν σὺ ἦσθα τοῖς ἔργοις ἄμεμπτος ἢ ὠφέλεια ὅτι ἁπλώσῃς τὴν ὁδόν σου

Is it of any interest to the Ruler of all that you are upright? or is it of use to him that your ways are without sin?

4 ἦ λόγον σου ποιούμενος ἐλέγξει σε καὶ συνεισελεύσεταί σοι εἰς κρίσιν

Is it because you give him honour that he is sending punishment on you and is judging you?

5 πότερον οὐχ ἡ κακία σού ἐστιν πολλή ἀναρίθμητοι δέ σού εἰσιν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι

Is not your evil-doing great? and there is no end to your sins.

6 ἠνεχύραζες δὲ τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου διὰ κενῆς ἀμφίασιν δὲ γυμνῶν ἀφείλου

For you have taken your brother's goods when he was not in your debt, and have taken away the clothing of those who have need of it.

7 οὐδὲ ὕδωρ διψῶντας ἐπότισας ἀλλὰ πεινώντων ἐστέρησας ψωμόν

You do not give water to the tired traveller, and from him who has no food you keep back bread.

8 ἐθαύμασας δέ τινων πρόσωπον ᾤκισας δὲ τοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς

For it was the man with power who had the land, and the man with an honoured name who was living in it.

9 χήρας δὲ ἐξαπέστειλας κενάς ὀρφανοὺς δὲ ἐκάκωσας

You have sent widows away without hearing their cause, and you have taken away the support of the child who has no father.

10 τοιγαροῦν ἐκύκλωσάν σε παγίδες καὶ ἐσπούδασέν σε πόλεμος ἐξαίσιος

For this cause nets are round your feet, and you are overcome with sudden fear.

11 τὸ φῶς σοι σκότος ἀπέβη κοιμηθέντα δὲ ὕδωρ σε ἐκάλυψεν

Your light is made dark so that you are unable to see, and you are covered by a mass of waters.

12 μὴ οὐχὶ ὁ τὰ ὑψηλὰ ναίων ἐφορᾷ τοὺς δὲ ὕβρει φερομένους ἐταπείνωσεν

Is not God as high as heaven? and see the stars, how high they are!

13 καὶ εἶπας τί ἔγνω ὁ ἰσχυρός ἦ κατὰ τοῦ γνόφου κρινεῖ

And you say, What knowledge has God? is he able to give decisions through the deep dark?

14 νέφη ἀποκρυφὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐχ ὁραθήσεται καὶ γῦρον οὐρανοῦ διαπορεύσεται

Thick clouds are covering him, so that he is unable to see; and he is walking on the arch of heaven.

15 μὴ τρίβον αἰώνιον φυλάξεις ἣν ἐπάτησαν ἄνδρες ἄδικοι

Will you keep the old way by which evil men went?

16 οἳ συνελήμφθησαν ἄωροι ποταμὸς ἐπιρρέων οἱ θεμέλιοι αὐτῶν

Who were violently taken away before their time, who were overcome by the rush of waters:

17 οἱ λέγοντες κύριος τί ποιήσει ἡμῖν ἢ τί ἐπάξεται ἡμῖν ὁ παντοκράτωρ

Who said to God, Go away from us; and, What is the Ruler of all able to do to us?

18 ὃς δὲ ἐνέπλησεν τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν ἀγαθῶν βουλὴ δὲ ἀσεβῶν πόρρω ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ

Though he made their houses full of good things: but the purpose of the evil-doers is far from me!

19 ἰδόντες δίκαιοι ἐγέλασαν ἄμεμπτος δὲ ἐμυκτήρισεν

The upright saw it and were glad: and those who had done no wrong made sport of them,

20 εἰ μὴ ἠφανίσθη ἡ ὑπόστασις αὐτῶν καὶ τὸ κατάλειμμα αὐτῶν καταφάγεται πῦρ

Saying, Truly, their substance is cut off, and their wealth is food for the fire.

21 γενοῦ δὴ σκληρός ἐὰν ὑπομείνῃς εἶτ’ ὁ καρπός σου ἔσται ἐν ἀγαθοῖς

Put yourself now in a right relation with him and be at peace: so will you do well in your undertakings.

22 ἔκλαβε δὲ ἐκ στόματος αὐτοῦ ἐξηγορίαν καὶ ἀνάλαβε τὰ ῥήματα αὐτοῦ ἐν καρδίᾳ σου

Be pleased to take teaching from his mouth, and let his words be stored up in your heart.

23 ἐὰν δὲ ἐπιστραφῇς καὶ ταπεινώσῃς σεαυτὸν ἔναντι κυρίου πόρρω ἐποίησας ἀπὸ διαίτης σου τὸ ἄδικον

If you come back to the Ruler of all, making yourself low before him; if you put evil far away from your tents;

24 θήσῃ ἐπὶ χώματι ἐν πέτρᾳ καὶ ὡς πέτρᾳ χειμάρρους Ωφιρ

And put your gold in the dust, even your gold of Ophir among the rocks of the valleys;

25 ἔσται οὖν σου ὁ παντοκράτωρ βοηθὸς ἀπὸ ἐχθρῶν καθαρὸν δὲ ἀποδώσει σε ὥσπερ ἀργύριον πεπυρωμένον

Then the Ruler of all will be your gold, and his teaching will be your silver;

26 εἶτα παρρησιασθήσῃ ἔναντι κυρίου ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἱλαρῶς

For then you will have delight in the Ruler of all, and your face will be lifted up to God.

27 εὐξαμένου δέ σου πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰσακούσεταί σου δώσει δέ σοι ἀποδοῦναι τὰς εὐχάς

You will make your prayer to him, and be answered; and you will give effect to your oaths.

28 ἀποκαταστήσει δέ σοι δίαιταν δικαιοσύνης ἐπὶ δὲ ὁδοῖς σου ἔσται φέγγος

Your purposes will come about, and light will be shining on your ways.

29 ὅτι ἐταπείνωσεν αὐτόν καὶ ἐρεῖς ὑπερηφανεύσατο καὶ κύφοντα ὀφθαλμοῖς σώσει

For God makes low those whose hearts are lifted up, but he is a saviour to the poor in spirit.

30 ῥύσεται ἀθῷον καὶ διασώθητι ἐν καθαραῖς χερσίν σου

He makes safe the man who is free from sin, and if your hands are clean, salvation will be yours.