Job 22

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Eliphaz of Teman spoke next. He said:	1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 Can a human being contribute anything to God, when even someone intel igent can benefit onlyhimself?	2 Can a man be profitable to God? Though to himself a wise man be profitable!
3 Does Shaddai derive any benefit from your uprightness, or profit from your blameless conduct?	3 Is it of advantage to the Almighty if you are just? Or is it a gain to him if you make your ways perfect?
4 Do you think he is punishing you for your piety and bringing you to justice for that?	4 Is it because of your piety that he reproves you-- that he enters with you into judgment?
5 No, for your great wickedness, more likely, for your unlimited sins!	5 Is not your wickedness manifold? Are not your iniquities endless?
6 You have exacted unearned pledges from your brothers, stripped people naked of their clothes,	6 You have unjustly kept your kinsmen's goods in pawn, left them stripped naked of their clothing.
7 failed to give water to the thirsty and refused bread to the hungry;	7 To the thirsty you have given no water to drink, and from the hungry you have withheld bread;
8 handed the land over to a strong man, for some favoured person to move in,	8 As if the land belonged to the man of might, and only the privileged were to dwell in it.
9 sent widows away empty-handed and crushed the arms of orphans.	9 You have sent widows away empty-handed, and the resources of orphans you have destroyed.
10 No wonder, then, if snares are al around you, and sudden terrors make you afraid;	10 Therefore snares are round about you, and a sudden terror causes you dismay,
11 if light has turned to darkness, so that you cannot see, and you have been submerged in the flood.	11 Or darkness, in which you cannot see; a deluge of waters covers you.
12 Does not God live high in the heavens, does he not see the zenith of the stars?	12 Does not God, in the heights of the heavens, behold the stars, high though they are?
13 And because he is up there, you have said, 'What does God know? Can he judge through the darkcloud?	13 Yet you say, "What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
14 The clouds, to him, are an impenetrable veil, as he goes his way on the rim of the heavens.'	14 Clouds hide him so that he cannot see; he walks upon the vault of the heavens!"
15 And wil you stil fol ow the ancient trail trodden by the wicked,	15 Do you indeed keep to the ancient way trodden by worthless men,
16 those who were borne off before their time, whose foundations were swamped by a flood,	16 Who were snatched away before their time; whose foundations a flood swept away?
17 for having said to God, 'Go away! What can Shaddai do to us?'	17 These men said to God, "Depart from us!" and, "What can the Almighty do to us?"
18 Yet he himself had filled their houses with good things, although excluded from the plans of thewicked!	18 (Yet he had filled their houses with good things! But far be from me the mind of the impious!)
19 At such a spectacle, the upright rejoice, and the innocent deride them:	19 The just look on and are gladdened, and the innocent deride them:
20 'See how our enemies have been destroyed! See how their wealth has perished in the flames!'	20 "Truly these have been destroyed where they stood, and such as were left, fire has consumed!"
21 Wel then! Make peace with him, be reconciled, and al your happiness will be restored to you.	21 Come to terms with him to be at peace. In this shall good come to you:
22 Welcome the teaching from his lips, and keep his words close to your heart.	22 Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
23 If you return, humbled, to Shaddai and drive wickedness far from your tent,	23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored; if you put iniquity far from your tent,
24 if you lay your gold down on the dust, Ophir down among the pebbles of the torrent,	24 And treat raw gold like dust, and the fine gold of Ophir as pebbles from the brook,
25 Shaddai wil be bars of gold to you and silver piled in heaps.	25 Then the Almighty himself shall be your gold and your sparkling silver.
26 Then Shaddai will be al your delight, and you wil lift your face to God.	26 For then you shall delight in the Almighty and you shall lift up your face toward God.
27 You wil pray, and he wil hear; and you wil be able to fulfil your vows.	27 You shall entreat him and he will hear you, and your vows you shall fulfill.
28 Whatever you undertake wil go wel , and light will shine on your path;	28 When you make a decision, it shall succeed for you, and upon your ways the light shall shine.
29 for he casts down the pride of the arrogant, but he saves those of downcast eyes.	29 For he brings down the pride of the haughty, but the man of humble mien he saves.
30 He rescues anyone who is innocent; have your hands clean, and you wil be saved.	30 God delivers him who is innocent; you shall be delivered through cleanness of hands.