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Eliphaz Says Job Must Repent

22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

“Can a mighty (A)man be of use to God,
Or an insightful man be useful to himself?
Is there any pleasure to [a]the Almighty if you are righteous,
Or profit if you make your ways perfect?
Is it because of your reverent fear that He reproves you,
That He (B)enters into judgment against you?
Is not (C)your evil great,
And your iniquities without end?
For you have (D)taken pledges of your brothers without cause,
And (E)stripped the clothing of the naked.
To the weary you have (F)given no water to drink,
And from the hungry you have (G)withheld bread.
But the earth (H)belongs to the (I)mighty man,
And (J)the [b]highly respected man inhabits it.
You have sent (K)widows away empty,
And the [c]might of the (L)orphans has been crushed.
10 Therefore (M)snares surround you,
And sudden (N)dread terrifies you,
11 Or (O)darkness, so that you cannot see,
And an (P)abundance of water covers you.

12 “Is not God (Q)in the height of heaven?
Look also at the [d]distant stars, how high they are!
13 You say, ‘(R)What does God know?
Can He judge through the dense gloom?
14 (S)Clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see;
And He walks on the [e]vault of heaven.’
15 Will you keep to the ancient path
Which (T)wicked men have trod,
16 Who were snatched away (U)before their time,
Whose (V)foundations were [f]washed away by a river?
17 They (W)said to God, ‘Depart from us!’
And ‘What can [g]the Almighty do to them?’
18 Yet He (X)filled their houses with good things,
But (Y)the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 The (Z)righteous see and are glad,
And the innocent mock them,
20 Saying, ‘Truly those who rise against us are wiped out,
And their [h]abundance (AA)the fire has consumed.’

21 [i](AB)Yield now and be at peace with Him;
Thereby good will come to you.
22 Please receive [j](AC)instruction from His mouth
And set His words in your heart.
23 If you (AD)return to [k]the Almighty, you will be [l]restored;
If you (AE)remove unrighteousness far from your tent,
24 And (AF)put your [m]gold in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,
25 Then [n]the Almighty will be your [o]gold
And choice silver to you.
26 For then you will (AG)delight in [p]the Almighty
And lift up your face to God.
27 You will (AH)entreat Him, and (AI)He will hear you;
And you will pay your vows.
28 You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you;
And (AJ)light will shine on your ways.
29 When [q]some are cast down, you will speak with [r]confidence,
And the [s](AK)humble person He will save.
30 He will provide escape for one who is not innocent,
And he will (AL)escape through the cleanness of your hands.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 22:3 Heb Shaddai
  2. Job 22:8 Lit the one whose face is lifted up
  3. Job 22:9 Lit arms
  4. Job 22:12 Lit head, top-most
  5. Job 22:14 Lit circle
  6. Job 22:16 Lit poured out
  7. Job 22:17 Heb Shaddai
  8. Job 22:20 Or excess
  9. Job 22:21 Or Make yourself useful, cf. Job 22:2
  10. Job 22:22 Or law
  11. Job 22:23 Heb Shaddai
  12. Job 22:23 Lit built up
  13. Job 22:24 Lit ore
  14. Job 22:25 Heb Shaddai
  15. Job 22:25 Lit ore
  16. Job 22:26 Heb Shaddai
  17. Job 22:29 Lit they cast you down
  18. Job 22:29 Lit pride
  19. Job 22:29 Lit lowly of eyes