Job 22:1-30 (New International Version)

Eliphaz

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite¹ replied: 2 "Can a man be of benefit to God?² Can even a wise man benefit him?³ 3 What pleasure⁴ would it give the Almighty if you were righteous?⁵ What would he gain if your ways were blameless?⁶ 4 "Is it for your piety that he rebukes you and brings charges against you?⁷ 5 Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins⁸ endless?⁹ 6 You demanded security¹⁰ from your brothers for no reason;¹¹ you stripped men of their clothing, leaving them naked.¹² 7 You gave no water¹³ to the weary and you withheld food from the hungry,¹⁴ 8 though you were a powerful man, owning land¹⁵-- an honored man,¹⁶ living on it.¹⁷ 9 And you sent widows¹⁸ away empty-handed¹⁹ and broke the strength of the fatherless.²⁰ 10 That is why snares²¹ are all around you,²² why sudden peril terrifies you,²³ 11 why it is so dark²⁴ you cannot see, and why a flood of water covers you.²⁵ 12 "Is not God in the heights of heaven?²⁶ And see how lofty are the highest stars! 13 Yet you say, 'What does God know?²⁷ Does he judge through such darkness?²⁸ 14 Thick clouds²⁹ veil him, so he does not see us³⁰ as he goes about in the vaulted heavens.'³¹ 15 Will you keep to the old path that evil men³² have trod?³³ 16 They were carried off before their time,³⁴ their foundations³⁵ washed away by a flood.³⁶ 17 They said to God, 'Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us?'³⁷ 18 Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things,³⁸ so I stand aloof from the counsel of the wicked.³⁹ 19 "The righteous see their ruin and rejoice;⁴⁰ the innocent mock⁴¹ them, saying, 20 'Surely our foes are destroyed,⁴² and fire⁴³ devours their wealth.' 21 "Submit to God and be at peace⁴⁴ with him;⁴⁵ in this way prosperity will come to you.⁴⁶ 22 Accept instruction from his mouth⁴⁷ and lay up his words⁴⁸ in your heart.⁴⁹ 23 If you return⁵⁰ to the Almighty, you will be restored:⁵¹ If you remove wickedness far from your tent⁵² 24 and assign your nuggets⁵³ to the dust, your gold⁵⁴ of Ophir⁵⁵ to the rocks in the ravines,⁵⁶ 25 then the Almighty will be your gold,⁵⁷ the choicest silver for you.⁵⁸ 26 Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty⁵⁹ and will lift up your face⁶⁰ to God.⁶¹ 27 You will pray to him,⁶² and he will hear you,⁶³ and you will fulfill your vows.⁶⁴ 28 What you decide on will be done,⁶⁵ and light⁶⁶ will shine on your ways.⁶⁷ 29 When men are brought low⁶⁸ and you say, 'Lift them up!' then he will save the downcast.⁶⁹ 30 He will deliver even one who is not innocent,⁷⁰ who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands."⁷¹