1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,2Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him , that thou makest thy ways perfect?4Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?5Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?6For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.7Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.8But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.9Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.10Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;11Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.12Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!13And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?14Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.15Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?16Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:17Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?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: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.20Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.21Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.22Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.23If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.24Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.25Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.26For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.27Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.28Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.29When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.30He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.
Job 22
English Standard Version
Eliphaz Speaks: Job’s Wickedness Is Great
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: (Job 2:11)2“Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself. (Job 35:7)3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are in the right, or is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless? (Ps 18:32)4Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you and enters into judgment with you? (Job 14:3; Ps 143:2)5Is not your evil abundant? There is no end to your iniquities.6For you have exacted pledges of your brothers for nothing and stripped the naked of their clothing. (Ex 22:26; De 24:6; De 24:17; Job 24:3; Job 24:9; Job 31:16; Eze 18:12; Eze 18:16)7You have given no water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry. (Job 31:17; Isa 58:7; Eze 18:7; Eze 18:16; Mt 25:42)8The man with power possessed the land, and the favored man lived in it. (2Ki 5:1; Job 35:9; Isa 9:15)9You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless were crushed. (Job 31:21; Job 38:15; Isa 10:2; Eze 22:7; Lu 1:53)10Therefore snares are all around you, and sudden terror overwhelms you, (Job 18:8)11or darkness, so that you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you. (Ex 10:22; Job 27:20; Job 38:34; Ps 69:1; Ps 69:14; Ps 124:5; La 3:54; Jon 2:3; Jon 2:5)12“Is not God high in the heavens? See the highest stars, how lofty they are! (Job 11:8)13But you say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the deep darkness? (Job 38:9; Ps 10:11; Ps 59:7; Ps 64:5; Ps 73:11; Ps 94:7; Isa 29:15; Eze 8:12; Eze 9:9)14Thick clouds veil him, so that he does not see, and he walks on the vault of heaven.’ (Ps 139:11; Pr 8:27; Isa 40:22)15Will you keep to the old way that wicked men have trod?16They were snatched away before their time; their foundation was washed away.[1] (Job 15:32)17They said to God, ‘Depart from us,’ and ‘What can the Almighty do to us?’[2] (Job 21:14; Ps 4:6)18Yet he filled their houses with good things— but the counsel of the wicked is far from me. (Job 21:16)19The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent one mocks at them, (Ps 2:4; Ps 52:6; Ps 58:10; Ps 64:10; Ps 107:42)20saying, ‘Surely our adversaries are cut off, and what they left the fire has consumed.’ (Job 1:16)21“Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you. (Ps 119:45; Pr 3:2)22Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart. (Ps 119:11; Pr 2:6; Mal 2:7)23If you return to the Almighty you will be built up; if you remove injustice far from your tents, (Job 8:5; Job 11:13; Job 11:14; Jer 24:6; Jer 33:7; Mal 3:7)24if you lay gold in the dust, and gold of Ophir among the stones of the torrent-bed, (1Ki 9:28; Job 20:11; Job 21:26)25then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver.26For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and lift up your face to God. (Job 11:15; Job 27:10; Ps 37:4; Isa 58:14)27You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you, and you will pay your vows. (Job 33:26; Ps 50:14; Isa 58:9)28You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways. (Pr 4:18)29For when they are humbled you say, ‘It is because of pride’;[3] but he saves the lowly. (Ps 138:6; Pr 3:34; Pr 29:23; Mt 23:12; Lu 1:52; Jas 4:6; 1Pe 5:5)30He delivers even the one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.” (Ge 18:26; Job 9:30; Job 17:9; Ps 18:20; Ps 18:24; Ps 24:4; Ps 26:6)