Job 22

1Then Eliphaz the Themanite answered, and said:

1And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: --

2Can man be compared with God, even though he were of perfect knowledge?

2To God is a man profitable, Because a wise man to himself is profitable?

3What doth it profit God if thou be just? or what dost thou give him if thy way be unspotted?

3Is it a delight to the Mighty One That thou art righteous? is it gain, That thou makest perfect thy ways?

4Shall he reprove thee for fear, and come with thee into judgment:

4Because of thy reverence Doth He reason <FI>with<Fi> thee? He entereth with thee into judgment:

5And not for thy manifold wickedness and thy infinite iniquities?

5Is not thy wickedness abundant? And there is no end to thine iniquities.

6For thou hast taken away the pledge of thy brethren without cause, and stripped them naked of their clothing.

6For thou takest a pledge of thy brother for nought, And the garments of the naked Thou dost strip off.

7Thou hast not given water to the weary, thou hast withdrawn bread from the hungry.

7Thou causest not the weary to drink water, And from the hungry thou withholdest bread.

8In the strength of thy arm thou didst possess the land, and being the most mighty thou holdest it.

8As to the man of arm--he hath the earth, And the accepted of face--he dwelleth in it.

9Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless thou hast broken in pieces.

9Widows thou hast sent away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.

10Therefore art thou surrounded with snares, and sudden fear troubleth thee.

10Therefore round about thee <FI>are<Fi> snares, And trouble thee doth fear suddenly.

11And didst thou think that thou shouldst not see darkness, and that thou shouldst not be covered with the violence of overflowing waters?

11Or darkness--thou dost not see, And abundance of waters doth cover thee.

12Dost not thou think that God is higher than heaven, and is elevated above the height of the stars?

12Is not God high <FI>in<Fi> heaven? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high.

13And thou sayst: What doth God know? and he judgeth as it were through a mist.

13And thou hast said, `What--hath God known? Through thickness doth He judge?

14The clouds are his covert, and he doth not consider our things, and he walketh about the poles of heaven.

14Thick clouds <FI>are<Fi> a secret place to Him, And He doth not see;' And the circle of the heavens He walketh habitually,

15Dost thou desire to keep the path of ages, which wicked men have spurned?

15The path of the age dost thou observe, That men of iniquity have trodden?

16Who were taken away before their time, and a flood hath overthrown their foundation.

16Who have been cut down unexpectedly, A flood is poured out on their foundation.

17Who said to God: Depart from us: and looked upon the Almighty as if he could do nothing:

17Those saying to God, `Turn aside from us,' And what doth the Mighty One to them?

18Whereas he had filled their houses with good things: whose way of thinking be far from me.

18And he hath filled their houses <FI>with<Fi> good: (And the counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)

19The just shall see, and shall rejoice, and the innocent shall laugh them to scorn.

19See do the righteous and they rejoice, And the innocent mocketh at them,

20Is not their exaltation cut down, and hath not fire devoured the remnants of them?

20`Surely our substance hath not been cut off, And their excellency hath fire consumed.'

21Submit thyself then to him, and be at peace: and thereby thou shalt have the best fruits.

21Acquaint thyself, I pray thee, with Him, And be at peace, Thereby thine increase <FI>is<Fi> good.

22Receive the law of his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.

22Receive, I pray thee, from His mouth a law, And set His sayings in thy heart.

23If thou wilt return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, and shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacle.

23If thou dost return unto the Mighty Thou art built up, Thou puttest iniquity far from thy tents.

24He shall give for earth flint, and for flint torrents of gold.

24So as to set on the dust a defence, And on a rock of the valleys a covering.

25And the Almighty shall be against thy enemies, and silver shall be heaped together for thee.

25And the Mighty hath been thy defence, And silver <FI>is<Fi> strength to thee.

26Then shalt thou abound in delights in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face to God.

26For then on the Mighty thou delightest thyself, And dost lift up unto God thy face,

27Thou shalt pray to him, and he will hear thee, and thou shalt pay vows.

27Thou dost make supplication unto Him, And He doth hear thee, And thy vows thou completest.

28Thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall come to thee, and light shall shine in thy ways.

28And thou decreest a saying, And it is established to thee, And on thy ways hath light shone.

29For he that hath been humbled, shall be in glory: and he that shall bow down his eyes, he shall be saved.

29For they have made low, And thou sayest, `Lift up.' And the bowed down of eyes he saveth.

30The innocent shall be saved, and he shall be saved by the cleanness of his hands.

30He delivereth the not innocent, Yea, he hath been delivered By the cleanness of thy hands.