Job 22
Revised Geneva Translation
22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, and said,
2 “May a man be profitable to God, as he that is wise may be profitable to himself?
3 “Is it anything to the Almighty if you are righteous? Or is it profitable if you make your ways upright?
4 “Is it because of your fear that He rebukes you, or goes with you into judgment?
5 “Is not your wickedness great, and your iniquities innumerable?
6 “For you have taken the pledge from your brother for nothing, and spoiled the clothes of the naked.
7 “To such as were weary, you have not given water to drink. And you have withdrawn bread from the hungry.
8 “But the mighty man had the Earth. And he who was in authority dwelt in it.
9 “You have cast out widows empty, and the arms of the fatherless were broken.
10 “Therefore snares are all around you, and fear shall suddenly trouble you,
11 “or darkness, so that you should not see. And abundance of waters shall cover you.
12 “Is not God on high in the heaven? And behold the height of the stars, how high they are.
13 “But you say, ‘How should God know? Can He judge through the dark cloud?
14 ‘The clouds hide Him so that He cannot see, and He walks in the circle of Heaven.’
15 “Have you marked the way of the world, wherein wicked men have walked?
16 “Who were cut down before their time? Whose foundation was as a river that overflowed?
17 “Who said to God, ‘Depart from us,’ and asked what the Almighty could do for them?
18 “Yet He filled their houses with good things. But let the counsel of the wicked be far from me.
19 “The righteous shall see them and shall rejoice and the innocent shall laugh them to scorn.
20 “Surely our substance is hidden. But the fire has devoured the remnant of them.
21 “Therefore, please acquaint yourself with Him and make peace. Thereby you shall have prosperity.
22 “Please receive the Law of His Mouth and lay up His Words in your heart.
23 “If you return to the Almighty, you shall be built up. You shall put iniquity far from your tabernacle.
24 “You shall lay up gold for dust, and the gold of Ophir, as the flints of the rivers.
25 “Yea, the Almighty shall be your defense, and you shall have plenty of silver.
26 “And you shall then delight in the Almighty, and lift up your face to God.
27 “You shall make your prayer to Him, and He shall hear you. And you shall render your vows.
28 “You shall also decree a thing, and He shall establish it to you. And the light shall shine upon your ways.
29 “When others are cast down, then shall you say, ‘I am lifted up,’ and God shall save the humble person.
30 “The innocent shall deliver the island, and it shall be preserved by the pureness of your hands.”
Job 22
Living Bible
22 Another address from Eliphaz:
2 “Is mere man of any worth to God? Even the wisest is of value only to himself! 3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous? Would it be any gain to him if you were perfect? 4 Is it because you are good that he is punishing you? 5 Not at all! It is because of your wickedness! Your sins are endless!
6 “For instance, you must have refused to loan money to needy friends unless they gave you all their clothing as a pledge—yes, you must have stripped them to the bone. 7 You must have refused water to the thirsty and bread to the starving. 8 But no doubt you gave men of importance anything they wanted and let the wealthy live wherever they chose. 9 You sent widows away without helping them and broke the arms of orphans. 10-11 That is why you are now surrounded by traps and sudden fears, and darkness and waves of horror.
12 “God is so great—higher than the heavens, higher than the stars. 13 But you reply, ‘That is why he can’t see what I am doing! How can he judge through the thick darkness? 14 For thick clouds swirl about him so that he cannot see us. He is way up there, walking on the vault of heaven.’
15-16 “Don’t you realize that those treading the ancient paths of sin are snatched away in youth, and the foundations of their lives washed out forever? 17 For they said to God, ‘Go away, God! What can you do for us?’ 18 (God forbid that I should say a thing like that.) Yet they forgot that he had filled their homes with good things. 19 And now the righteous shall see them destroyed; the innocent shall laugh the wicked to scorn. 20 ‘See,’ they will say, ‘the last of our enemies have been destroyed in the fire.’
21 “Quit quarreling with God! Agree with him and you will have peace at last! His favor will surround you if you will only admit that you were wrong. 22 Listen to his instructions and store them in your heart. 23 If you return to God and put right all the wrong in your home, then you will be restored. 24 If you give up your lust for money and throw your gold away, 25 then the Almighty himself shall be your treasure; he will be your precious silver!
26 “Then you will delight yourself in the Lord and look up to God. 27 You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill all your promises to him. 28 Whatever you wish will happen! And the light of heaven will shine upon the road ahead of you. 29 If you are attacked and knocked down, you will know that there is someone who will lift you up again. Yes, he will save the humble 30 and help even sinners by your pure hands.”
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