Job 22

1 Then Eliphaz the Themanite responded by saying:

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2 Can man be compared with God, even if he were perfect in knowledge?

“Can a man be useful to God? Can a wise man be useful to him?

3 What advantage is it to God, if you were just? Or what do you provide for him, if your way should be immaculate?

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous? Is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?

4 Will he reprove you and take you to judgment for being afraid,

Is it because of your reverence for him that he rebukes you and takes you to judgment?

5 and not because of your many evil deeds and your infinite unfairness?

Is not your wickedness great? Is there no end to your iniquities?

6 For you have taken away the collateral of your brothers without cause, and stripped them naked of their clothing.

For you have demanded guarantee of a loan from your brother for no reason, and you have stripped away clothing from the naked.

7 You have not given water to the weary; you have taken bread away from the hungry.

You have not given water to weary people to drink; you have withheld bread from hungry people

8 By the strength of your arm, you took possession of the land, and you retain it by being the strongest.

although you, a mighty man, possessed the earth, although you, an honored man, lived in it.

9 You have sent widows away empty, and you have crushed the shoulders of orphans.

You have sent widows away empty; the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

10 Because of this, you are surrounded by traps, and unexpected fears will disturb you.

Therefore, snares are all around you, and sudden fear troubles you.

11 And did you think that you would not see darkness and that you were not to be overwhelmed by the onrush of overflowing waters?

There is darkness, so that you cannot see; an abundance of waters covers you.

12 Have you not considered that God is higher than the heavens and is lifted above the height of the stars?

Is not God in the heights of heaven? Look at the height of the stars, how high they are!

13 And you say: “Well, what does God know?” and, “He judges, as if through a fog,”

You say, 'What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?

14 and, “The clouds are his hiding-place,” and, “He does not examine us closely,” and, “He makes his rounds at the limits of the heavens.”

Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he does not see us; he walks on the vault of heaven.'

15 Do you not want to tend the path of the ages, which wicked men have spurned?

Will you keep the old way that wicked men have walked—

16 These were taken away before their time, and a flood overthrew their foundation.

those who were snatched away before their time, those whose foundations have washed away like a river,

17 They said to God, “Withdraw from us,” and they treated the Almighty as if he could do nothing,

those who said to God, 'Depart from us'; those who said, 'What can the Almighty do to us?'

18 though he had filled their houses with good things. May their way of thinking be far from me.

Yet he filled their houses with good things; the plans of wicked people are far from me.

19 The just will see and will rejoice, and the innocent will mock them.

Righteous people see their fate and are glad; innocent people laugh them to scorn.

20 Has not their haughtiness been cut down, and has not fire devoured the remnants of them?

They say, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off; fire has consumed their possessions.'

21 So, repose yourself with him and be at peace, and, in this way, you will have the best fruits.

Now agree with God and be at peace with him; in that way, good will come to you.

22 Accept the law from his mouth, and place his words in your heart.

Receive, I beg you, instruction from his mouth; store up his words in your heart.

23 If you will return to the Almighty, you will be rebuilt, and you will put sinfulness far from your tabernacle.

If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put unrighteousness far away from your tents.

24 He will give you stone in place of dirt, and torrents of gold in place of stone.

Lay your treasure down in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,

25 And the Almighty will be against your enemies, and silver will be gathered together for you.

and the Almighty will be your treasure, precious silver to you.

26 Then will you flock together in delight over the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God.

For then you will take pleasure in the Almighty; you will lift up your face to God.

27 You will plead with him, and he will listen to you, and you will pay your vows.

You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you; you will pay your vows to him.

28 You will decide on something, and it will come to you, and the light will shine in your ways.

You will also decree anything, and it will be confirmed for you; light will shine on your paths.

29 For he who had been humbled, will be in glory; and he who will lower his eyes, will be the one saved.

God humbles a proud man, and he saves the one with lowered eyes.

30 The innocent will be saved, and he will be saved with purity in his hands.

He will rescue even the man who is not innocent; who will be rescued through the cleanness of your hands.”