Job 22

International Standard Version

² “Can a human being be useful to God,
    since he, who is wise, is sufficient to himself?
³ Will it please the Almighty if you are innocent,
    or does he profit if your life is^[a] blameless?
⁴ Will he acquit you just because you fear him,
    and render a verdict on your behalf?
⁵ Your wickedness is great, isn’t it?
    There’s no limit to your iniquity, is there?

⁶ “After all, you’ve taken collateral from your relatives for no reason;
    you stripped the naked of their clothing.^[b]
7 You’ve neglected to give water to the weary,^[c]
    and you’ve withheld food from the hungry.
⁸ The land belongs to the powerful,
    and the privileged^[d] thrive in it.
⁹ You sent away widows empty-handed,
    and broke the outstretched arms of orphans.
¹⁰ That’s why disaster surrounds you,
    terror suddenly overwhelms you,
¹¹ you see nothing but darkness,
    and a flood of troubles^[e] drowns you.”

¹⁵ “Will you keep walking on the traditional path
    that sinners^[g] have tread,
¹⁶ who were snatched away before their time;
    when their foundation was swept away by a river?
¹⁷ They told God, ‘Get away from us!’
    and ‘What will the Almighty do to them?’

¹⁸ “Though God^[h] fills their houses with good things,
    the counsel of the wicked will remain far from me.
¹⁹ The righteous will see this and rejoice;
    the innocent will insult him, saying,^[i]
20 ‘Our enemies are sure to be destroyed,
    and fire will burn up what’s left of their riches.”

²³ “If you return to the Almighty you’ll be restored,
    as you remove iniquity from your household.^[j]
24 Bury your gold nuggets in the dust,
    and your source of gold^[k] among the stones in a streambed,
²⁵ and then the Almighty will be your gold
    and your refined silver.

²⁶ “Then you’ll take delight in the Almighty;
    and will turn your face toward God.
²⁷ You’ll entreat him and he’ll listen to you
    as you fulfill your vows.
²⁸ When you make a decision on something,
    it will be established for you,
        and light will brighten^[l] your way.

²⁹ “For when they’re humbled, you may respond;^[m]
    ‘It’s their pride!’
        but he delivers the humble.
³⁰ He’ll even deliver the guilty,
    who will be delivered through your innocence.”^[n]