Chapter 22

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered⁴ and said,⁴

Can a man be profitable⁴ unto God, as he that is wise⁵⁶ may be profitable⁴ unto himself?

[Is it] any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous?⁴ or [is it] gain [to him], that thou makest thy ways perfect?⁵⁵

Will he reprove⁵⁵ thee for fear of thee? will he enter⁴ with thee into judgment?

[Is] not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?

For thou hast taken a pledge⁴ from thy brother for nought, and stripped⁵⁵ the naked of their clothing.

Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink,⁵⁵ and thou hast withholden⁴ bread from the hungry.

But [as for] the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable^{7 6440} man dwelt⁴ in it.

Thou hast sent¹⁴ widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.²⁹

Therefore snares [are] round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth¹⁷ thee;

Or darkness, [that] thou canst not see;⁴ and abundance of waters cover¹⁷ thee.

[Is] not God in the height of heaven? and behold³ the height of the stars, how high¹ they are!

And thou sayest,¹ How doth God know?¹ can he judge⁴ through the dark cloud?

Thick clouds [are] a covering to him, that he seeth⁴ not; and he walketh¹⁰¹ in the circuit of heaven.

Hast thou marked⁴ the old way which wicked men have trodden?¹

Which were cut down²⁷ out of time, whose foundation was overflown⁹³ with a flood:

Which said⁶ unto God, Depart³ from us: and what can the Almighty do⁴ for them?

Yet he filled¹⁴ their houses with good [things]: but the counsel of the wicked is far¹ from me.

The righteous see⁴ [it], and are glad:⁴ and the innocent laugh them to scorn.⁴

Whereas our substance is not cut down,⁸ but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.¹

Acquaint⁵⁴ now thyself with him, and be at peace:³ thereby good shall come⁴ unto thee.

Receive,³ I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up³ his words in thine heart.

If thou return⁴ to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up,¹¹ thou shalt put away iniquity far⁵⁵ from thy tabernacles.

Then shalt thou lay up² gold as dust, and the [gold] of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.

Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.

For then shalt thou have thy delight¹⁰¹ in the Almighty, and shalt lift up⁴ thy face unto God.

Thou shalt make thy prayer⁵⁵ unto him, and he shall hear⁴ thee, and thou shalt pay¹⁷ thy vows.

Thou shalt also decree⁴ a thing, and it shall be established⁴ unto thee: and the light shall shine¹ upon thy ways.

When [men] are cast down,⁵² then thou shalt say,⁴ [There is] lifting up; and he shall save⁵⁵ the humble ⁵⁸⁶⁹ person.

He shall deliver¹⁷ the island of the innocent: and it is delivered⁸ by the pureness of thine hands.