Eliphaz’s Third Speech79

22:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:

22:2 “Is it to God that a strong man is of benefit?

Is it to him that even a wise man is profitable?1

22:3 Is it of any special benefit2 to the Almighty

that you should be righteous,

or is it any gain to him

that you make your ways blameless?3

22:4 Is it because of your piety4 that he rebukes you

and goes to judgment with you?5

22:5 Is not your wickedness great6

and is there no end to your iniquity?

22:6 “For you took pledges7 from your brothers

for no reason,

and you stripped the clothing from the naked.8

22:7 You gave the weary9 no water to drink

and from the hungry you withheld food.

22:8 Although you were a powerful man,10 owning land,11

an honored man12 living on it,13

22:9 you sent widows away empty-handed,

and the arms14 of the orphans you crushed.15

22:10 That is why snares surround you,

and why sudden fear terrifies you,

22:11 why it is so dark you cannot see,16

and why a flood17 of water covers you.

22:12 “Is not God on high in heaven?18

And see19 the lofty stars,20 how high they are!

22:13 But you have said, ‘What does God know?

Does he judge through such deep darkness?21

22:14 Thick clouds are a veil for him, so he does not see us,22

as he goes back and forth

in the vault23 of heaven.’24

22:15 Will you keep to the old path25

that evil men have walked—

22:16 men26 who were carried off27 before their time,28

when the flood29 was poured out30

on their foundations?31

22:17 They were saying to God, ‘Turn away from us,’

and ‘What can the Almighty do to us?’32

22:18 But it was he33 who filled their houses

with good things—

yet the counsel of the wicked34

was far from me.35

22:19 The righteous see their destruction36 and rejoice;

the innocent mock them scornfully,37 saying,

22:20 ‘Surely our enemies38 are destroyed,

and fire consumes their wealth.’

22:21 “Reconcile yourself39 with God,40

and be at peace41 with him;

in this way your prosperity will be good.

22:22 Accept instruction42 from his mouth

and store up his words43 in your heart.

22:23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up;44

if you remove wicked behavior far from your tent,

22:24 and throw45 your gold46 in the dust—

your gold47 of Ophir

among the rocks in the ravines—

22:25 then the Almighty himself will be your gold,48

and the choicest49 silver for you.

22:26 Surely then you will delight yourself50 in the Almighty,

and will lift up your face toward God.

22:27 You will pray to him and he will hear you,

and you will fulfill your vows to him.51

22:28 Whatever you decide52 on a matter,

it will be established for you,

and light will shine on your ways.

22:29 When people are brought low53 and you say

‘Lift them up!’54

then he will save the downcast;55

22:30 he will deliver even someone who is not innocent,56

who will escape57 through the cleanness of your hands.”