Job 22
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
2 “Can a man be useful to God? Can a wise man be useful to him?
Can a man be profitable unto God? Or can he that is wise be profitable unto Him?
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous? Is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?
Is it any advantage to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to Him, that thou makest thy ways blameless?
4 Is it because of your reverence for him that he rebukes you and takes you to judgment?
Is it for thy fear of Him that He reproveth thee, that He entereth with thee into judgment?
5 Is not your wickedness great? Is there no end to your iniquities?
Is not thy wickedness great? And are not thine iniquities without end?
6 For you have demanded guarantee of a loan from your brother for no reason, and you have stripped away clothing from the naked.
For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 You have not given water to weary people to drink; you have withheld bread from hungry people
Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
8 although you, a mighty man, possessed the earth, although you, an honored man, lived in it.
And as a mighty man, who hath the earth, and as a man of rank, who dwelleth in it,
9 You have sent widows away empty; the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Therefore, snares are all around you, and sudden fear troubles you.
Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden dread affrighted thee,
11 There is darkness, so that you cannot see; an abundance of waters covers you.
Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and abundance of waters cover thee.
12 Is not God in the heights of heaven? Look at the height of the stars, how high they are!
Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the topmost of the stars, how high they are!
13 You say, 'What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
And thou sayest: 'What doth God know? Can He judge through the dark cloud?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he does not see us; he walks on the vault of heaven.'
Thick clouds are a covering to Him, that He seeth not; and He walketh in the circuit of heaven.'
15 Will you keep the old way that wicked men have walked—
Wilt thou keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 those who were snatched away before their time, those whose foundations have washed away like a river,
Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream;
17 those who said to God, 'Depart from us'; those who said, 'What can the Almighty do to 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; the plans of wicked people are far from me.
Yet He filled their houses with good things — but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 Righteous people see their fate and are glad; innocent people laugh them to scorn.
The righteous saw it, and were glad, and the innocent laugh them to scorn:
20 They say, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off; fire has consumed their possessions.'
'Surely their substance is cut off, and their abundance the fire hath consumed.'
21 Now agree with God and be at peace with him; in that way, good will come to you.
Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace; thereby shall thine increase be good.
22 Receive, I beg you, instruction from his mouth; store up his words in your heart.
Receive, I pray thee, instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in thy heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put unrighteousness far away from your tents.
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up — if thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents,
24 Lay your treasure down in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,
And lay thy treasure in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks;
25 and the Almighty will be your treasure, precious silver to you.
And the Almighty be thy treasure, and precious silver unto thee;
26 For then you will take pleasure in the Almighty; you will lift up your face to God.
Then surely shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
27 You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you; you will pay your vows to him.
Thou shalt make thy prayer unto Him, and He will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;
28 You will also decree anything, and it will be confirmed for you; light will shine on your paths.
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee, and light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 God humbles a proud man, and he saves the one with lowered eyes.
When they cast thee down, thou shalt say: 'There is lifting up'; for the humble person He saveth.
30 He will rescue even the man who is not innocent; who will be rescued through the cleanness of your hands.”
He delivereth him that is innocent, yea, thou shalt be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
