Chapter 22

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

Can a man be profitable to God, as he that is wise may be profitable to himself?

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

Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?

Is not thy wickedness great? and thy iniquities infinite?

For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for naught, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

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

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

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

Therefore snares are around thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;

Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.

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

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

Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.

Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?

Who were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood!

Who said to God, depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them!

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: and the innocent deride them.

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

Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: by this good shall come to thee.

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

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

Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.

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

For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face to God.

Thou shalt make thy prayer to him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.

Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established to thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is exaltation; and he shall save the humble person.

He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thy hands.