Chapter 22

Eliphaz Accuses and Exhorts Job

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite 1responded,

2 “Can a vigorous aman be of use to God,

Or a wise man be useful to himself?

3 “Is there any pleasure to 1the Almighty if you are righteous,

Or profit if you make your ways perfect?

4 “Is it because of your 1reverence that He reproves you,

That He aenters into judgment against you?

5 “Is not ayour wickedness great,

And your iniquities without end?

6 “For you have ataken pledges of your brothers without cause,

And bstripped 1men naked.

7 “To the weary you have agiven no water to drink,

And from the hungry you have bwithheld bread.

8 “But the earth abelongs to the bmighty man,

And cthe honorable man dwells in it.

9 “You have sent awidows away empty,

And the 1strength of the borphans has been crushed.

10 “Therefore asnares surround you,

And sudden bdread terrifies you,

11 Or adarkness, so that you cannot see,

And an babundance of water covers you.

12 “Is not God ain the height of heaven?

Look also at the 1distant stars, how high they are!

13 “You say, ‘aWhat does God know?

Can He judge through the thick darkness?

14 ‘aClouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see;

And He walks on the 1vault of heaven.’

15 “Will you keep to the ancient path

Which awicked men have trod,

16 Who were snatched away abefore their time,

Whose bfoundations were 1washed away by a river?

17 “They asaid to God, ‘Depart from us!’

And ‘What can 1the Almighty do to them?’

18 “Yet He afilled their houses with good things;

But bthe counsel of the wicked is far from me.

19 “The arighteous see and are glad,

And the innocent mock them,

20 Saying, ‘Truly our adversaries are cut off,

And their 1abundance athe fire has consumed.’

21 “1aYield now and be at peace with Him;

Thereby good will come to you.

22 “Please receive 1ainstruction from His mouth

And establish His words in your heart.

23 “If you areturn to 1the Almighty, you will be 2restored;

If you bremove unrighteousness far from your tent,

24 And aplace your 1gold in the dust,

And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,

25 Then 1the Almighty will be your 2gold

And choice silver to you.

26 “For then you will adelight in 1the Almighty

And lift up your face to God.

27 “You will apray to Him, and bHe will hear you;

And you will pay your vows.

28 “You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you;

And alight will shine on your ways.

29 “When 1you are cast down, you will speak with 2confidence,

And the 3ahumble person He will save.

30 “He will deliver one who is not innocent,

And he will be adelivered through the cleanness of your hands.”