Chapter 22

  Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,  

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  Can a man be profitable unto God? Surely he that is wise is profitable unto himself.  

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

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  Is it for thy fear [of him] that he reproveth thee, That he entereth with thee into judgment?  

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  Is not thy wickedness great? Neither is there any end to thine iniquities.  

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  For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, And stripped the naked of their clothing.  

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  Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, And thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.  

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  But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; And the honorable man, he dwelt in it.  

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  Thou hast sent widows away empty, And the arms of the fatherless have been broken.  

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  Therefore snares are round about thee, And sudden fear troubleth thee,  

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  Or darkness, so that thou canst not see, And abundance of waters cover thee.  

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  Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the height of the stars, how high they are!  

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  And thou sayest, What doth God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?  

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  Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he seeth not; And he walketh on the vault of heaven.  

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  Wilt thou keep the old way Which wicked men have trodden?  

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  Who were snatched away before their time, Whose foundation was poured out as a stream,  

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  Who said unto God, Depart from us; And, What can the Almighty do for us?  

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

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  The righteous see it, and are glad; And the innocent laugh them to scorn,  

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  [Saying], Surely they that did rise up against us are cut off, And the remnant of them the fire hath consumed.  

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  Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: Thereby good shall come unto thee.  

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  Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, And lay up his words in thy heart.  

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  If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, If thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents.  

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  And lay thou [thy] treasure in the dust, And [the gold of] Ophir among the stones of the brooks;  

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  And the Almighty will be thy treasure, And precious silver unto thee.  

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  For then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, And shalt lift up thy face unto God.  

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  Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee; And thou shalt pay thy vows.  

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  Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee; And light shall shine upon thy ways.  

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  When they cast [thee] down, thou shalt say, [There is] lifting up; And the humble person he will save.  

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  He will deliver [even] him that is not innocent: Yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.  

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