Job 22

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,	1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?	2 Can a man be profitable to God? Though to himself a wise man be profitable!
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him that thou makest thy ways perfect?	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 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?	4 Is it because of your piety that he reproves you-- that he enters with you into judgment?
5 Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?	5 Is not your wickedness manifold? Are not your iniquities endless?
6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.	6 You have unjustly kept your kinsmen's goods in pawn, left them stripped naked of their clothing.
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.	7 To the thirsty you have given no water to drink, and from the hungry you have withheld bread;
8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.	8 As if the land belonged to the man of might, and only the privileged were to dwell in it.
9 Thou has sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.	9 You have sent widows away empty-handed, and the resources of orphans you have destroyed.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;	10 Therefore snares are round about you, and a sudden terror causes you dismay,
11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.	11 Or darkness, in which you cannot see; a deluge of waters covers you.
12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!	12 Does not God, in the heights of the heavens, behold the stars, high though they are?
13 And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?	13 Yet you say, "What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.	14 Clouds hide him so that he cannot see; he walks upon the vault of the heavens!"
15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?	15 Do you indeed keep to the ancient way trodden by worthless men,
16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:	16 Who were snatched away before their time; whose foundations a flood swept away?
17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?	17 These men said to God, "Depart from us!" and, "What can the Almighty do to us?"
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.	18 (Yet he had filled their houses with good things! But far be from me the mind of the impious!)
19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.	19 The just look on and are gladdened, and the innocent deride them:
20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.	20 "Truly these have been destroyed where they stood, and such as were left, fire has consumed!"
21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.	21 Come to terms with him to be at peace. In this shall good come to you:
22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.	22 Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.	23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored; if you put iniquity far from your tent,
24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.	24 And treat raw gold like dust, and the fine gold of Ophir as pebbles from the brook,
25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.	25 Then the Almighty himself shall be your gold and your sparkling silver.
26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.	26 For then you shall delight in the Almighty and you shall lift up your face toward God.
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.	27 You shall entreat him and he will hear you, and your vows you shall fulfill.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.	28 When you make a decision, it shall succeed for you, and upon your ways the light shall shine.
29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.	29 For he brings down the pride of the haughty, but the man of humble mien he saves.
30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.	30 God delivers him who is innocent; you shall be delivered through cleanness of hands.