Job 22

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,

2 “Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.

Is it not the Lord that teaches understanding and knowledge?

3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him that you make your ways perfect?

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

4 Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgement?

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

5 Isn’t your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.

Is not your wickedness abundant, and your sins innumerable?

6 For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

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

7 You haven’t given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.

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

8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honourable man, he lived in it.

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

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

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

10 Therefore snares are around you. Sudden fear troubles you,

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

11 or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.

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

12 “Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!

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

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

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

14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn’t see. He walks on the vault of the sky.’

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

15 Will you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,

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

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

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

17 who said to God, ‘Depart from us!’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do for us?’

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

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

Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel for the wicked is far from him.

19 The righteous see it, and are glad. The innocent ridicule them,

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

20 saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’

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

21 “Acquaint yourself with him now, and be at peace. By it, good will come to you.

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

22 Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.

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

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

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

24 Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir amongst the stones of the brooks.

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

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

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

26 For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God.

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

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

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

28 You will also decree a thing, and it will be established to you. Light will shine on your ways.

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

29 When they cast down, you will say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.

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

30 He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”

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