Job
Chapter 22
1 Then Eliphaz from Teman replied,
2 Can a person be useful to God, as a wise person is useful to themselves?
3 Does it make God happy when you are good, or does He benefit when you live perfectly?
4 Will God correct you because he fears you? Will he go to court with you?
5 Isn’t your evilness huge? And your sins endless?
6 You took a promise from your brother for no reason and took clothes from those with none.
7 You did not give water to the tired to drink, and you kept bread from the hungry.
8 The strong person owned the land, and the respected person lived on it.
9 You sent widows away with nothing, and you have crushed the strength of orphans.
10 So traps surround you, and sudden fear upsets you.
11 Or darkness, so you can’t see, and lots of water covers you.
12 Isn’t God in the highest part of heaven? And see how high the stars are!
13 And you ask, “How does God know? Can he judge behind the dark cloud?”
14 Dense clouds hide God so he cannot be seen; and he moves in the sky’s expanse.
15 Have you noticed the old path that bad people have walked on?
16 They were cut down too soon, and their foundation was washed away by a flood.
17 They told God to go away: and what can God do for them?
18 He filled their homes with good things, but I stay away from the plans of the wicked.
19 Good people see it and are happy; those who are not guilty mock them.
20 Our resources are not destroyed, but the fire burns what’s left of them.
21 Get to know God now and find peace; this will bring you goodness.
22 Please accept the teachings from God, and keep his words in your heart.
23 If you come back to God, you will be restored, and you will keep sin far from your home.
24 You will pile up gold like dust, and the gold of Ophir like pebbles from the streams.
25 Yes, God will protect you, and you will have lots of silver.
26 Then you will find joy in God and you can look up to Him with confidence.
27 Pray to God, and he will listen to you, and you must keep your promises.
28 You will decide on something, and it will happen for you: light will shine on your path.
29 When people feel defeated, you should say, “There is hope”; and God will save the humble.
30 He will save the land of the innocent; it is saved because of your clean hands.