22:1 Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered
and said,
22:2 Is it not the Lord that teaches understanding and knowledge?
22:3 For what matters it to the Lord, if thou wert blameless in [thy] works?
or is it profitable that thou shouldest perfect thy way?
22:4 Wilt thou maintain and plead thine own cause? and will he enter into
judgment with thee?
22:5 Is not thy wickedness abundant, and thy sins innumerable?
22:6 And thou hast taken security of thy brethren for nothing, and hast
taken away the clothing of the naked.
22:7 Neither hast thou given water to the thirsty to drink, but hast taken
away the morsel of the hungry.
22:8 And thou hast accepted the persons of some; and thou hast established
those [that were already settled] on the earth.
22:9 But thou hast sent widows away empty, and has afflicted orphans.
22:10 Therefore snares have compassed thee, and disastrous war has troubled
thee.
22:11 The light has proved darkness to thee, and water has covered thee on
thy lying down.
22:12 Does not he that dwells in the high places observe? and has he not
brought down the proud?
22:13 And thou has said, What does the Mighty One know? does he judge in the
dark?
22:14 A cloud is his hiding-place, and he shall not be seen; and he passes
through the circle of heaven.
22:15 Wilt thou [not] mark the old way, which righteous men have trodden?
22:16 who were seized before their time: their foundations [are as] an
overflowing stream.
22:17 Who say, What will the Lord do to us? or what will the Almighty bring
upon us?
22:18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel for the
wicked is far from him.
22:19 The righteous have seen [it], and laughed, and the blameless one has
derided [them].
22:20 Verily their substance has been utterly destroyed, and the fire shall
devour what is left of their [property].
22:21 Be firm, I pray thee, if thou canst endure; then thy fruit shall
prosper.
22:22 And receive a declaration from his mouth, and lay up his words in
thine heart.
22:23 And if thou shalt turn and humble thyself before the Lord, thou hast
[thus] removed unrighteousness far from thy habitation.
22:24 Thou shalt lay up for thyself [treasure] in a heap on the rock; and
Sophir [shall be] as the rock of the torrent.
22:25 So the Almighty shall be thy helper from enemies, and he shall bring
thee forth pure as silver that has been tried by fire.
22:26 Then shalt thou have boldness before the Lord, looking up cheerfully
to heaven.
22:27 And he shall hear thee when thou prayest to him, and he shall grant
thee [power] to pay thy vows.
22:28 And he shall establish to thee again a habitation of righteousness and
there shall be light upon thy paths.
22:29 Because thou hast humbled thyself; and thou shalt say, [Man] has
behaved proudly, but he shall save him that is of lowly eyes.
22:30 He shall deliver the innocent, and do thou save thyself by thy pure
hands. |
22:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and
said,
22:2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable
unto himself?
22:3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it
gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
22:4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into
judgment?
22:5 Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?
22:6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped
the naked of their clothing.
22:7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast
withholden bread from the hungry.
22:8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man
dwelt in it.
22:9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have
been broken.
22:10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
22:11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover
thee.
22:12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the
stars, how high they are!
22:13 And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark
cloud?
22:14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh
in the circuit of heaven.
22:15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
22:16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a
flood:
22:17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for
them?
22:18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the
wicked is far from me.
22:19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to
scorn.
22:20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the
fire consumeth.
22:21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall
come unto thee.
22:22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in
thine heart.
22:23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put
away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.
22:24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the
stones of the brooks.
22:25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of
silver.
22:26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift
up thy face unto God.
22:27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou
shalt pay thy vows.
22:28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee:
and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
22:29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and
he shall save the humble person.
22:30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by
the pureness of thine hands. |