22:1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
22:2 Can a man be profitable unto God? Surely he that is wise is profitable unto himself.
22:3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? Or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
22:4 Is it for thy fear of him that he reproveth thee, That he entereth with thee into judgment?
22:5 Is not thy wickedness great? Neither is there any end to thine iniquities.
22:6 For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, And stripped the naked of their clothing.
22:7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, And thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
22:8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; And the honorable man, he dwelt in it.
22:9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, And the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
22:10 Therefore snares are round about thee, And sudden fear troubleth thee,
22:11 Or darkness, so that thou canst not see, And abundance of waters cover thee.
22:12 Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
22:13 And thou sayest, What doth God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
22:14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he seeth not; And he walketh on the vault of heaven.
22:15 Wilt thou keep the old way Which wicked men have trodden?
22:16 Who were snatched away before their time, Whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
22:17 Who said unto God, Depart from us; And, What can the Almighty do for us?
22:18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
22:19 The righteous see it, and are glad; And the innocent laugh them to scorn,
22:20 Saying, Surely they that did rise up against us are cut off, And the remnant of them the fire hath consumed.
22:21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: Thereby good shall come unto thee.
22:22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, And lay up his words in thy heart.
22:23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, If thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents.
22:24 And lay thou thy treasure in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks;
22:25 And the Almighty will be thy treasure, And precious silver unto thee.
22:26 For then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, And shalt lift up thy face unto God.
22:27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee; And thou shalt pay thy vows.
22:28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee; And light shall shine upon thy ways.
22:29 When they cast thee down, thou shalt say, There is lifting up; And the humble person he will save.
22:30 He will deliver even him that is not innocent: Yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
23:1 Then Job answered and said,
23:2 Even to-day is my complaint rebellious: My stroke is heavier than my groaning.
23:3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! That I might come even to his seat!
23:4 I would set my cause in order before him, And fill my mouth with arguments.
23:5 I would know the words which he would answer me, And understand what he would say unto me.
23:6 Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? Nay; but he would give heed unto me.
23:7 There the upright might reason with him; So should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
23:8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; And backward, but I cannot perceive him;
23:9 On the left hand, when he doth work, but I cannot behold him; He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him.
23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take; When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
23:11 My foot hath held fast to his steps; His way have I kept, and turned not aside.
23:12 I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured up the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
23:13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? And what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
23:14 For he performeth that which is appointed for me: And many such things are with him.
23:15 Therefore am I terrified at his presence; When I consider, I am afraid of him.
23:16 For God hath made my heart faint, And the Almighty hath terrified me;
23:17 Because I was not cut off before the darkness, Neither did he cover the thick darkness from my face.