The Book of Job

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- Chapter 22 -

Eliphaz accuses Job of wickedness

Then Eliphaz the Themanite responded by saying:

Can man be compared with God, even if he were perfect in knowledge?

What advantage is it to God, if you were just? Or what do you provide for him, if your way should be immaculate?

Will he reprove you and take you to judgment for being afraid,

and not because of your many evil deeds and your infinite unfairness?

For you have taken away the collateral of your brothers without cause, and stripped them naked of their clothing.

You have not given water to the weary; you have taken bread away from the hungry.

By the strength of your arm, you took possession of the land, and you retain it by being the strongest.

You have sent widows away empty, and you have crushed the shoulders of orphans.

Because of this, you are surrounded by traps, and unexpected fears will disturb you.

And did you think that you would not see darkness and that you were not to be overwhelmed by the onrush of overflowing waters?

Have you not considered that God is higher than the heavens and is lifted above the height of the stars?

And you say: “Well, what does God know?” and, “He judges, as if through a fog,”

and, “The clouds are his hiding-place,” and, “He does not examine us closely,” and, “He makes his rounds at the limits of the heavens.”

Do you not want to tend the path of the ages, which wicked men have spurned?

These were taken away before their time, and a flood overthrew their foundation.

They said to God, “Withdraw from us,” and they treated the Almighty as if he could do nothing,

though he had filled their houses with good things. May their way of thinking be far from me.

The just will see and will rejoice, and the innocent will mock them.

Has not their haughtiness been cut down, and has not fire devoured the remnants of them?

So, repose yourself with him and be at peace, and, in this way, you will have the best fruits.

Accept the law from his mouth, and place his words in your heart.

If you will return to the Almighty, you will be rebuilt, and you will put sinfulness far from your tabernacle.

He will give you stone in place of dirt, and torrents of gold in place of stone.

And the Almighty will be against your enemies, and silver will be gathered together for you.

Then will you flock together in delight over the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God.

You will plead with him, and he will listen to you, and you will pay your vows.

You will decide on something, and it will come to you, and the light will shine in your ways.

For he who had been humbled, will be in glory; and he who will lower his eyes, will be the one saved.

The innocent will be saved, and he will be saved with purity in his hands.

Eliphaz accuses Job of wickedness

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

“Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him that you make your ways perfect?

Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?

Isn’t your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.

For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

You haven’t given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.

But as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honorable man, he lived in it.

You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

Therefore snares are around you. Sudden fear troubles you,

or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.

“Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!

You say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?

Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn’t see. He walks on the vault of the sky.’

Will you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,

who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,

who said to God, ‘Depart from us!’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do for us?’

Yet he filled their houses with good things, but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

The righteous see it, and are glad. The innocent ridicule them,

saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’

“Acquaint yourself with him now, and be at peace. By it, good will come to you.

Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.

If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.

Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.

The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.

For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God.

You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You will pay your vows.

You will also decree a thing, and it will be established to you. Light will shine on your ways.

When they cast down, you will say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.

He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”