Job 22

1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: —

2 Can a man be profitable unto God? surely he that is wise is profitable unto himself.

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

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

4 Is it for thy fear [of him] that he reproveth thee, that he entereth with thee into judgment?

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

5 Is not thy wickedness great? neither is there any end to thine iniquities.

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

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

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

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

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

8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man, he dwelt in it.

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

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

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

10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee,

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

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

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

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

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

13 And thou sayest, What doth God know? can he judge through the thick darkness?

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

14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.

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

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

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

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

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

17 Who said unto God, Depart from us; and, What can the Almighty do for us?

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

18 Yet he fired their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

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

19 The righteous see it, and are glad; and the innocent laugh them to scorn:

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

20 [Saying], Surely they that did rise up against us are cut off, and the remnant of them the fire hath consumed.

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

21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

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

22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.

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

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

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

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

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

25 And the Almighty shall be thy treasure, and precious silver unto thee.

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

26 For then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.

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

27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee; and thou shalt pay thy vows.

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

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

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

29 When they cast [thee] down, thou shalt say, [There is] lifting up; and the humble person he shall save.

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

30 He shall deliver [even] him that is not innocent: yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thine hands.

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