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22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, and said,

“May a man be profitable to God, as he that is wise may be profitable to himself?

“Is it anything to the Almighty if you are righteous? Or is it profitable if you make your ways upright?

“Is it because of your fear that He rebukes you, or goes with you into judgment?

“Is not your wickedness great, and your iniquities innumerable?

“For you have taken the pledge from your brother for nothing, and spoiled the clothes of the naked.

“To such as were weary, you have not given water to drink. And you have withdrawn bread from the hungry.

“But the mighty man had the Earth. And he who was in authority dwelt in it.

“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.”

Eliphaz

22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite(A) replied:

“Can a man be of benefit to God?(B)
    Can even a wise person benefit him?(C)
What pleasure(D) would it give the Almighty if you were righteous?(E)
    What would he gain if your ways were blameless?(F)

“Is it for your piety that he rebukes you
    and brings charges against you?(G)
Is not your wickedness great?
    Are not your sins(H) endless?(I)
You demanded security(J) from your relatives for no reason;(K)
    you stripped people of their clothing, leaving them naked.(L)
You gave no water(M) to the weary
    and you withheld food from the hungry,(N)
though you were a powerful man, owning land(O)
    an honored man,(P) living on it.(Q)
And you sent widows(R) away empty-handed(S)
    and broke the strength of the fatherless.(T)
10 That is why snares(U) are all around you,(V)
    why sudden peril terrifies you,(W)
11 why it is so dark(X) you cannot see,
    and why a flood of water covers you.(Y)

12 “Is not God in the heights of heaven?(Z)
    And see how lofty are the highest stars!
13 Yet you say, ‘What does God know?(AA)
    Does he judge through such darkness?(AB)
14 Thick clouds(AC) veil him, so he does not see us(AD)
    as he goes about in the vaulted heavens.’(AE)
15 Will you keep to the old path
    that the wicked(AF) have trod?(AG)
16 They were carried off before their time,(AH)
    their foundations(AI) washed away by a flood.(AJ)
17 They said to God, ‘Leave us alone!
    What can the Almighty do to us?’(AK)
18 Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things,(AL)
    so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.(AM)
19 The righteous see their ruin and rejoice;(AN)
    the innocent mock(AO) them, saying,
20 ‘Surely our foes are destroyed,(AP)
    and fire(AQ) devours their wealth.’

21 “Submit to God and be at peace(AR) with him;(AS)
    in this way prosperity will come to you.(AT)
22 Accept instruction from his mouth(AU)
    and lay up his words(AV) in your heart.(AW)
23 If you return(AX) to the Almighty, you will be restored:(AY)
    If you remove wickedness far from your tent(AZ)
24 and assign your nuggets(BA) to the dust,
    your gold(BB) of Ophir(BC) to the rocks in the ravines,(BD)
25 then the Almighty will be your gold,(BE)
    the choicest silver for you.(BF)
26 Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty(BG)
    and will lift up your face(BH) to God.(BI)
27 You will pray to him,(BJ) and he will hear you,(BK)
    and you will fulfill your vows.(BL)
28 What you decide on will be done,(BM)
    and light(BN) will shine on your ways.(BO)
29 When people are brought low(BP) and you say, ‘Lift them up!’
    then he will save the downcast.(BQ)
30 He will deliver even one who is not innocent,(BR)
    who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”(BS)

Eliphaz Accuses Job of Wickedness

22 Then (A)Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

“Can(B) a man be profitable to God,
Though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous?
Or is it gain to Him that you make your ways blameless?

“Is it because of your fear of Him that He corrects you,
And enters into judgment with you?
Is not your wickedness great,
And your iniquity without end?
For you have (C)taken pledges from your brother for no reason,
And stripped the naked of their clothing.
You have not given the weary water to drink,
And you (D)have withheld bread from the hungry.
But the [a]mighty man possessed the land,
And the honorable man dwelt in it.
You have sent widows away empty,
And the [b]strength of the fatherless was crushed.
10 Therefore snares are all around you,
And sudden fear troubles you,
11 Or darkness so that you cannot see;
And an abundance of (E)water covers you.

12 “Is not God in the height of heaven?
And see the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 And you say, (F)‘What does God know?
Can He judge through the deep darkness?
14 (G)Thick clouds cover Him, so that He cannot see,
And He walks above the circle of heaven.’
15 Will you keep to the old way
Which wicked men have trod,
16 Who (H)were cut down before their time,
Whose foundations were swept away by a flood?
17 (I)They said to God, ‘Depart from us!
What can the Almighty do to [c]them?’
18 Yet He filled their houses with good things;
But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

19 “The(J) righteous see it and are glad,
And the innocent laugh at them:
20 ‘Surely our [d]adversaries are cut down,
And the fire consumes their remnant.’

21 “Now acquaint yourself with Him, and (K)be at peace;
Thereby good will come to you.
22 Receive, please, (L)instruction from His mouth,
And (M)lay up His words in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up;
You will remove iniquity far from your tents.
24 Then you will (N)lay your gold in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
25 Yes, the Almighty will be your [e]gold
And your precious silver;
26 For then you will have your (O)delight in the Almighty,
And lift up your face to God.
27 (P)You will make your prayer to Him,
He will hear you,
And you will pay your vows.
28 You will also declare a thing,
And it will be established for you;
So light will shine on your ways.
29 When they cast you down, and you say, ‘Exaltation will come!
Then (Q)He will save the humble person.
30 He will even deliver one who is not innocent;
Yes, he will be delivered by the purity of your hands.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 22:8 Lit. man of arm
  2. Job 22:9 Lit. arms
  3. Job 22:17 LXX, Syr. us
  4. Job 22:20 LXX substance is
  5. Job 22:25 Ancient vss. suggest defense; MT gold, as in v. 24