Job 22

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Eliphaz of Teman spoke next. He said:	1 Then Eliphaz the Themanite responded by saying:
2 Can a human being contribute anything to God, when even someone intel igent can benefit onlyhimself?	2 Can man be compared with God, even if he were perfect in knowledge?
3 Does Shaddai derive any benefit from your uprightness, or profit from your blameless conduct?	3 What advantage is it to God, if you were just? Or what do you provide for him, if your way should be immaculate?
4 Do you think he is punishing you for your piety and bringing you to justice for that?	4 Will he reprove you and take you to judgment for being afraid,
5 No, for your great wickedness, more likely, for your unlimited sins!	5 and not because of your many evil deeds and your infinite unfairness?
6 You have exacted unearned pledges from your brothers, stripped people naked of their clothes,	6 For you have taken away the collateral of your brothers without cause, and stripped them naked of their clothing.
7 failed to give water to the thirsty and refused bread to the hungry;	7 You have not given water to the weary; you have taken bread away from the hungry.
8 handed the land over to a strong man, for some favoured person to move in,	8 By the strength of your arm, you took possession of the land, and you retain it by being the strongest.
9 sent widows away empty-handed and crushed the arms of orphans.	9 You have sent widows away empty, and you have crushed the shoulders of orphans.
10 No wonder, then, if snares are al around you, and sudden terrors make you afraid;	10 Because of this, you are surrounded by traps, and unexpected fears will disturb you.
11 if light has turned to darkness, so that you cannot see, and you have been submerged in the flood.	11 And did you think that you would not see darkness and that you were not to be overwhelmed by the on-rush of overflowing waters?
12 Does not God live high in the heavens, does he not see the zenith of the stars?	12 Have you not considered that God is higher than the heavens and is lifted above the height of the stars?
13 And because he is up there, you have said, 'What does God know? Can he judge through the darkcloud?	13 And you say: “Well, what does God know?” and, “He judges, as if through a fog,”
14 The clouds, to him, are an impenetrable veil, as he goes his way on the rim of the heavens.'	14 and, “The clouds are his hiding-place,” and, “He does not examine us closely,” and, “He makes his rounds at the limits of the heavens.”
15 And wil you stil fol ow the ancient trail trodden by the wicked,	15 Do you not want to tend the path of the ages, which wicked men have spurned?
16 those who were borne off before their time, whose foundations were swamped by a flood,	16 These were taken away before their time, and a flood overthrew their foundation.
17 for having said to God, 'Go away! What can Shaddai do to us?'	17 They said to God, “Withdraw from us,” and they treated the Almighty as if he could do nothing,
18 Yet he himself had filled their houses with good things, although excluded from the plans of thewicked!	18 though he had filled their houses with good things. May their way of thinking be far from me.
19 At such a spectacle, the upright rejoice, and the innocent deride them:	19 The just will see and will rejoice, and the innocent will mock them.
20 'See how our enemies have been destroyed! See how their wealth has perished in the flames!'	20 Has not their haughtiness been cut down, and has not fire devoured the remnants of them?
21 Wel then! Make peace with him, be reconciled, and al your happiness will be restored to you.	21 So, repose yourself with him and be at peace, and, in this way, you will have the best fruits.
22 Welcome the teaching from his lips, and keep his words close to your heart.	22 Accept the law from his mouth, and place his words in your heart.
23 If you return, humbled, to Shaddai and drive wickedness far from your tent,	23 If you will return to the Almighty, you will be rebuilt, and you will put sinfulness far from your tabernacle.
24 if you lay your gold down on the dust, Ophir down among the pebbles of the torrent,	24 He will give you stone in place of dirt, and torrents of gold in place of stone.
25 Shaddai wil be bars of gold to you and silver piled in heaps.	25 And the Almighty will be against your enemies, and silver will be gathered together for you.
26 Then Shaddai will be al your delight, and you wil lift your face to God.	26 Then will you flock together in delight over the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God.
27 You wil pray, and he wil hear; and you wil be able to fulfil your vows.	27 You will plead with him, and he will listen to you, and you will pay your vows.
28 Whatever you undertake wil go wel , and light will shine on your path;	28 You will decide on something, and it will come to you, and the light will shine in your ways.
29 for he casts down the pride of the arrogant, but he saves those of downcast eyes.	29 For he who had been humbled, will be in glory; and he who will lower his eyes, will be the one saved.
30 He rescues anyone who is innocent; have your hands clean, and you wil be saved.	30 The innocent will be saved, and he will be saved with purity in his hands.