The Book of Job

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 22 -

Eliphaz accuses Job of wickedness

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, and sayde,

May a man be profitable vnto God, as he that is wise, may be profitable to himselfe?

Is it any thing vnto the Almightie, that thou art righteous? or is it profitable to him, that thou makest thy wayes vpright?

Is it for feare of thee that he will accuse thee? or go with thee into iudgement?

Is not thy wickednes great, and thine iniquities innumerable?

For thou hast taken the pledge from thy brother for nought, and spoyled the clothes of the naked.

To such as were wearie, thou hast not giuen water to drinke, and hast withdrawen bread from the hungrie.

But the mightie man had the earth, and he that was in autoritie, dwelt in it.

Thou hast cast out widowes emptie, and the armes of the fatherles were broken.

Therefore snares are round about thee, and feare shall suddenly trouble thee:

Or darkenes that thou shouldest not see, and abundance of waters shall couer thee.

Is not God on hie in the heauen? and behold the height of the starres how hie they are.

But thou sayest, How should God know? can he iudge through the darke cloude?

The cloudes hide him that he can not see, and he walketh in the circle of heauen.

Hast thou marked the way of the worlde, wherein wicked men haue walked?

Which were cut downe before the time, whose foundation was as a riuer that ouerflowed:

Which sayd vnto God, Depart from vs, and asked what the Almightie could do for them.

Yet hee filled their houses with good things: but let the counsell of the wicked be farre from me.

The righteous shall see them, and shall reioyce, and the innocent shall laugh them to scorne.

Surely our substance is hid: but the fire hath deuoured the remnant of them.

Therefore acquaint thy selfe, I pray thee, with him, and make peace: thereby thou shalt haue prosperitie.

Receiue, I pray thee, the law of his mouth, and lay vp his words in thine heart.

If thou returne to the Almightie, thou shalt be buylt vp, and thou shalt put iniquitie farre from thy tabernacle.

Thou shalt lay vp golde for dust, and the gold of Ophir, as the flintes of the riuers.

Yea, the Almightie shalbe thy defence, and thou shalt haue plentie of siluer.

And thou shalt then delite in the Almightie, and lift vp thy face vnto God.

Thou shalt make thy praier vnto him, and he shall heare thee, and thou shalt render thy vowes.

Thou shalt also decree a thing, and he shall establish it vnto thee, and the light shall shine vpon thy wayes.

When others are cast downe, then shalt thou say, I am lifted vp: and God shall saue the humble person.

The innocent shall deliuer the yland, and it shalbe preserued by the purenes of thine 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.”