Job 22

¹Then Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said,

²Is it possible for a man to be of profit to God? No, for a man's wisdom is only of profit to himself.

³Is it of any interest to the Ruler of all that you are upright? or is it of use to him that your ways are without sin?

⁴Is it because you give him honour that he is sending punishment on you and is judging you?

⁵Is not your evil-doing great? and there is no end to your sins.

⁶For you have taken your brother's goods when he was not in your debt, and have taken away the clothing of those who have need of it.

⁷You do not give water to the tired traveller, and from him who has no food you keep back bread.

⁸For it was the man with power who had the land, and the man with an honoured name who was living in it.

⁹You have sent widows away without hearing their cause, and you have taken away the support of the child who has no father.

¹⁰For this cause nets are round your feet, and you are overcome with sudden fear.

¹¹Your light is made dark so that you are unable to see, and you are covered by a mass of waters.

¹²Is not God as high as heaven? and see the stars, how high they are!

¹³And you say, What knowledge has God? is he able to give decisions through the deep dark?

¹⁴Thick clouds are covering him, so that he is unable to see; and he is walking on the arch of heaven.

¹⁵Will you keep the old way by which evil men went?

¹⁶Who were violently taken away before their time, who were overcome by the rush of waters:

¹⁷Who said to God, Go away from us; and, What is the Ruler of all able to do to us?

¹⁸Though he made their houses full of good things: but the purpose of the evil-doers is far from me!

¹⁹The upright saw it and were glad: and those who had done no wrong made sport of them,

²⁰Saying, Truly, their substance is cut off, and their wealth is food for the fire.

²¹Put yourself now in a right relation with him and be at peace: so will you do well in your undertakings.

²²Be pleased to take teaching from his mouth, and let his words be stored up in your heart.

²³If you come back to the Ruler of all, making yourself low before him; if you put evil far away from your tents;

²⁴And put your gold in the dust, even your gold of Ophir among the rocks of the valleys;

²⁵Then the Ruler of all will be your gold, and his teaching will be your silver;

²⁶For then you will have delight in the Ruler of all, and your face will be lifted up to God.

²⁷You will make your prayer to him, and be answered; and you will give effect to your oaths.

²⁸Your purposes will come about, and light will be shining on your ways.

²⁹For God makes low those whose hearts are lifted up, but he is a saviour to the poor in spirit.

³⁰He makes safe the man who is free from sin, and if your hands are clean, salvation will be yours.

Job 22

¹Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

¹⁷who said to God, 'Depart from us;' and, 'What can the Almighty do for us?'

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

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

²⁰saying, 'Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed the remnant of them.'

²¹"Acquaint yourself with him, now, and be at peace. Thereby good shall come to you.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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