Job 22

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

1Then Eliphaz, a man from the land of Teman, spoke again.

2Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?

2He said, "Can a person be useful to God? Even a wise man does not add anything to God.

3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?

3Does God feel happy just because you do what is right? Does He gain anything if you live a good life?

4Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?

4Is God correcting you because you respect Him? Is that why He brings you to court?

5Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?

5No. It is because you have done much wrong. Your sins go on and on.

6For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

6You made your own brothers give you things to hold. You had no good reason to do it. You took the clothes off people who had almost nothing.

Note"Taken a pledge" means making someone hand over something valuable to prove they will pay you back. Poor people often had only their coat to give.

7Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.

7You did not give water to tired people. You kept bread from people who were hungry.

8But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.

8Meanwhile the strong man owned the land. The man everyone honored lived on it.

9Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

9You sent widows away with nothing in their hands. Widows are women whose husbands have died. You crushed the strength of children who had no father.

10Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;

10That is why traps are all around you now. That is why sudden danger scares you.

11Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.

11That is why it is too dark to see. That is why water rises and covers you.

12Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

12Is not God high up in the heavens? Look at the highest stars. See how far away they are!

13And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?

13But you say, "What does God know? Can He judge through the thick dark clouds?

14Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.

14Thick clouds hide Him, so He cannot see us. He just walks along the dome of the sky."

15Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?

15Will you keep walking the old road that bad men walked?

16Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:

16They were snatched away before their time. A flood washed their houses away.

17Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?

17They said to God, "Go away from us. What can the Almighty do to us?"

18Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

18Yet God was the one who filled their houses with good things. So I stay far away from what wicked people plan.

19The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.

19Good people see this and are glad. People who did no wrong laugh at them.

20Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.

20They say, "Look, our enemies are gone. Fire has burned up all they had left."

21Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

21So make peace with God now. Then good things will come to you.

22Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.

22Please listen to what He teaches you. Keep His words safe in your heart.

23If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.

23If you come back to the Almighty, He will build you up again. Get rid of the wrong things done in your tents.

24Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.

24Throw your gold down in the dirt. Throw the fine gold of Ophir among the rocks in the stream.

NoteOphir was a faraway land known for the best gold. The point is to stop treasuring gold and treasure God instead.

25Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.

25Then the Almighty Himself will be your gold. He will be your finest silver.

26For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.

26Then you will be glad in the Almighty. You will be able to look up at God's face.

27Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.

27You will pray to Him, and He will listen. You will keep the promises you made to Him.

28Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

28What you decide will happen. Light will shine on the paths you walk.

29When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.

29When people are pushed down, you will say, "Lift them up!" And God will save the humble.

NoteThe word "humble" here means a person who is low and not proud. It also means someone who has been brought down by hard times.

30He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.

30He will even rescue a person who is guilty. That person is saved because your hands are clean.