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Eliphaz Answers

22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:

“A man cannot be of any real use to God.
    Even a wise man does him no good.
It does not help God All-Powerful for you to be good.
    He gains nothing if you are innocent.
God does not punish you for respecting him.
    He does not bring you into court for this.
No! It is because your evil is without limits.
    And your sins have no end.
You took your brothers’ things to pay a debt they didn’t owe.
    You took clothes from people and left them naked.
You did not give water to tired people.
    And you kept food away from the hungry.
You were a powerful man who owned land.
    You were honored and lived in the land.
But you sent widows away without giving them anything.
    You even mistreated orphans.
10 That is why traps are all around you.
    That is why sudden danger frightens you.
11 That is why it is so dark you cannot see.
    And that is why a flood of water covers you.

12 “God is in the highest part of heaven.
    See how high the highest stars are!
13 But you say, ‘God knows nothing.
    He cannot judge us through the dark clouds.
14 Thick clouds cover him so he cannot see us.
    He walks around high up in the sky.’
15 Are you going to stay on the old path
    where evil people walk?
16 They were carried away before their time was up.
    Their foundations were washed away by a flood.
17 They said to God, ‘Leave us alone!
    God All-Powerful can do nothing to us.’
18 But it was God who filled their houses with good things.
    He did this even though their way of thinking was not godly.

19 “Good people can watch and be glad.
    Innocent people can laugh at them and say,
20 ‘Surely our enemies are destroyed.
    And fire burns up their wealth.’

21 “Obey God, and then you will be at peace with him.
    This way you can be happy.
22 Accept teaching from his mouth.
    Keep his words in your heart.
23 If you return to God All-Powerful, you will be blessed again.
    Remove evil from your house.
24 Throw your gold nuggets into the dust.
    Throw your fine gold to the rocks in the ravines.
25 Then God All-Powerful will be your gold.
    He will be the best silver for you.
26 You will find pleasure in God All-Powerful.
    And you will look up to him.
27 You will pray to him, and he will hear you.
    And you will keep your promises to him.
28 Anything you decide will be done.
    And light will shine on your ways.
29 When terrible things happen to people, you will say, ‘Have courage.’
    Then those who are humble will be saved.
30 Even the guilty will escape.
    They will be saved because your hands are clean.”

22 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

Can a man be profitable unto God?
Surely he that is wise is profitable unto himself.
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous?
Or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
Is it [a]for thy fear of him that he reproveth thee,
That he entereth with thee into judgment?
Is not thy wickedness great?
Neither is there any end to thine iniquities.
For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought,
And stripped the naked of their clothing.
Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink,
And thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
But as for [b]the mighty man, he had the [c]earth;
And [d]the honorable man, he dwelt in it.
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 [e]Or darkness, so that thou canst not see,
And abundance of waters cover thee.

12 Is not God in the height of heaven?
And behold the [f]height of the stars, how high they are!
13 And thou sayest, What doth God know?
Can he judge through the thick darkness?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he seeth not;
And he walketh on the vault of heaven.
15 [g]Wilt thou keep the old way
Which wicked men have trodden?
16 Who were snatched away before their time,
Whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
17 Who said unto God, Depart from us;
And, What can the Almighty do [h]for [i]us?
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 Saying, Surely they that did rise up against us are cut off,
And [j]the remnant of them the fire hath consumed.

21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace:
[k]Thereby good shall come unto thee.
22 Receive, I pray thee, [l]the law from his mouth,
And lay up his words in thy heart.
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up,
[m]If thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents.
24 And lay thou thy [n]treasure [o]in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks;
25 And the Almighty will be thy [p]treasure,
And [q]precious silver unto thee.
26 For then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty,
And shalt lift up thy face unto God.
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee;
And thou shalt pay thy vows.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee;
And light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 When they [r]cast thee down, thou shalt say, There is lifting up;
And [s]the humble person he will save.
30 He will deliver even him that is not innocent:
Yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.

Footnotes

  1. Job 22:4 Or, for fear of thee
  2. Job 22:8 Hebrew the man of arm.
  3. Job 22:8 Or, land
  4. Job 22:8 Hebrew he whose person is accepted.
  5. Job 22:11 Or, Or dost thou not see the darkness, And the flood of waters that covereth thee?
  6. Job 22:12 Hebrew head.
  7. Job 22:15 Or, Dost thou mark
  8. Job 22:17 Or, to
  9. Job 22:17 Hebrew them.
  10. Job 22:20 Or, that which remained to them. Or, their abundance
  11. Job 22:21 Or, as otherwise read, Thereby shall thine increase be good.
  12. Job 22:22 Or, instruction
  13. Job 22:23 Or, Thou shalt put away . . . And shalt lay up
  14. Job 22:24 Hebrew ore.
  15. Job 22:24 Or, on the earth
  16. Job 22:25 Hebrew ore.
  17. Job 22:25 Or, precious silver shall be thine
  18. Job 22:29 Or, are made low
  19. Job 22:29 Hebrew him that is lowly of eyes.

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)