Job

The book of Job, chapter 22, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 22 New English Translation

Eliphaz's Third Speech

   1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
   2 "Is it to God that a strong man is of benefit? Is it to him that even a wise man is profitable?
   3 Is it of any special benefit to the Almighty that you should be righteous, or is it any gain to him that you make your ways blameless?
   4 Is it because of your piety that he rebukes you and goes to judgment with you?
   5 Is not your wickedness great and is there no end to your iniquity?
   6 "For you took pledges from your brothers for no reason, and you stripped the clothing from the naked.
   7 You gave the weary no water to drink and from the hungry you withheld food.
   8 Although you were a powerful man, owning land, an honored man living on it,
   9 you sent widows away empty-handed, and the arms of the orphans you crushed.
   10 That is why snares surround you, and why sudden fear terrifies you,
   11 why it is so dark you cannot see, and why a flood of water covers you.
   12 "Is not God on high in heaven? And see the lofty stars, how high they are!
   13 But you have said, 'What does God know? Does he judge through such deep darkness?
   14 Thick clouds are a veil for him, so he does not see us, as he goes back and forth in the vault of heaven.'
   15 Will you keep to the old path that evil men have walked -
   16 men who were carried off before their time, when the flood was poured out on their foundations?
   17 They were saying to God, 'Turn away from us,' and 'What can the Almighty do to us?'
   18 But it was he who filled their houses with good things - yet the counsel of the wicked was far from me.
   19 The righteous see their destruction and rejoice; the innocent mock them scornfully, saying,
   20 'Surely our enemies are destroyed, and fire consumes their wealth.'
   21 "Reconcile yourself with God, and be at peace with him; in this way your prosperity will be good.
   22 Accept instruction from his mouth and store up his words in your heart.
   23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; if you remove wicked behavior far from your tent,
   24 and throw your gold in the dust - your gold of Ophir among the rocks in the ravines -
   25 then the Almighty himself will be your gold, and the choicest silver for you.
   26 Surely then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face toward God.
   27 You will pray to him and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows to him.
   28 Whatever you decide on a matter, it will be established for you, and light will shine on your ways.
   29 When people are brought low and you say 'Lift them up!' then he will save the downcast;
   30 he will deliver even someone who is not innocent, who will escape through the cleanness of your hands."

King James Version

   1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
   2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
   3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
   4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
   5 Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?
   6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
   7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
   8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.
   9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
   10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
   11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.
   12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
   13 And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
   14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.
   15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
   16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
   17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
   18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
   19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
   20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
   21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
   22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
   23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
   24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
   25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.
   26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
   27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
   28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
   29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.
   30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.