Job 22

Eliphaz’s Third Speech1

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?2

22:3 Is it of any special benefit3 to the Almighty

that you should be righteous,

or is it any gain to him

that you make your ways blameless?4

22:4 Is it because of your piety5 that he rebukes you

and goes to judgment with you?6

22:5 Is not your wickedness great7

and is there no end to your iniquity?

22:6 “For you took pledges8 from your brothers

for no reason,

and you stripped the clothing from the naked.9

22:7 You gave the weary10 no water to drink

and from the hungry you withheld food.

22:8 Although you were a powerful man,11 owning land,12

an honored man13 living on it,14

22:9 you sent widows away empty-handed,

and the arms15 of the orphans you crushed.16

22:10 That is why snares surround you,

and why sudden fear terrifies you,

22:11 why it is so dark you cannot see,17

and why a flood18 of water covers you.

22:12 “Is not God on high in heaven?19

And see20 the lofty stars,21 how high they are!

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

Does he judge through such deep darkness?22

22:14 Thick clouds are a veil for him, so he does not see us,23

as he goes back and forth

in the vault24 of heaven.’25

22:15 Will you keep to the old path26

that evil men have walked –

22:16 men27 who were carried off28 before their time,29

when the flood30 was poured out31

on their foundations?32

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

and ‘What can the Almighty do to us?’33

22:18 But it was he34 who filled their houses

with good things –

yet the counsel of the wicked35

was far from me.36

22:19 The righteous see their destruction37 and rejoice;

the innocent mock them scornfully,38 saying,

22:20 ‘Surely our enemies39 are destroyed,

and fire consumes their wealth.’

22:21 “Reconcile yourself40 with God,41

and be at peace42 with him;

in this way your prosperity will be good.

22:22 Accept instruction43 from his mouth

and store up his words44 in your heart.

22:23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up;45

if you remove wicked behavior far from your tent,

22:24 and throw46 your gold47 in the dust –

your gold48 of Ophir

among the rocks in the ravines –

22:25 then the Almighty himself will be your gold,49

and the choicest50 silver for you.

22:26 Surely then you will delight yourself51 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.52

22:28 Whatever you decide53 on a matter,

it will be established for you,

and light will shine on your ways.

22:29 When people are brought low54 and you say

‘Lift them up!’55

then he will save the downcast;56

22:30 he will deliver even someone who is not innocent,57

who will escape58 through the cleanness of your hands.”

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