Job 22

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

2 “Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him?

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

3 Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous? Does He profit if your ways are blameless?

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

4 Is it for your reverence that He rebukes you and enters into judgment against you?

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

5 Is not your wickedness great? Are not your iniquities endless?

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

6 For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers and deprived the naked of their clothing.

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

7 You gave no water to the weary and withheld food from the famished,

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

8 while the land belonged to a mighty man, and a man of honor lived on it.

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

9 You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.

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

10 Therefore snares surround you, and sudden peril terrifies you;

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

11 it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.

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

12 Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!

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

13 Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?

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

14 Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us as He traverses the vault of heaven.’

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

15 Will you stay on the ancient path that wicked men have trod?

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

16 They were snatched away before their time, and their foundations were swept away by a flood.

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

17 They said to God, ‘Depart from us. What can the Almighty do to us?’

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

18 But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.

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

19 The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent mock them:

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

20 ‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire has consumed their excess.’

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

21 Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.

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

22 Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart.

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

23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents

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

24 and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,

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

25 then the Almighty will be your gold and the finest silver for you.

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

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

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

27 You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.

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

28 Your decisions will be carried out, and light will shine on your ways.

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

29 When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then He will save the lowly.

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

30 He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”

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