Job 22

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

Then Eliphaz the Themanite responded by saying:

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

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

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

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

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

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

5 Is not your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

12 “Is not God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!

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

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

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

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

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.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Accept the law from his mouth, and place 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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