Job 22

1 Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,

Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:

2 Is it not the Lord that teaches understanding and knowledge?

Can a man be profitable unto God? Or can he that is wise be profitable unto Him?

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

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

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

5 Is not your wickedness abundant, and your sins innumerable?

Is not thy wickedness great? And are not thine iniquities without end?

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

For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

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

Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.

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

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

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

Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

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

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

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

Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and abundance of waters cover thee.

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

Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the topmost of the stars, how high they are!

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

And thou sayest: 'What doth God know? Can He judge through the dark cloud?

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

Thick clouds are a covering to Him, that He seeth not; and He walketh in the circuit of heaven.'

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

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

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

Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream;

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

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 for the wicked is far from him.

Yet He filled their houses with good things — but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Receive, I pray thee, instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in thy heart.

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

If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up — if thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents,

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

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

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

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

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

Then surely shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.

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

Thou shalt make thy prayer unto Him, and He will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;

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

Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee, and light shall shine upon thy ways.

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

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

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

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