Eliphaz Speaks Again
22 1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered: 2 "Can a man be of any benefit to God? Surely the wise man benefits only himself. 3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous, or any gain to him if you live blamelessly? 4 Is it for your reverence that he rebukes you and brings you to judgment? 5 Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless? 6 For you demanded collateral from your brothers for no reason and stripped the clothing from the naked. 7 You gave no water to the weary to drink, and you withheld bread from the hungry. 8 The man of power owned the land, and the favored one lived in it. a a v8 Eliphaz implies Job treated land as belonging only to the powerful, leaving the poor with nothing. 9 You sent widows away empty-handed and crushed the arms of orphans. 10 That is why snares surround you, and sudden terror overwhelms you; 11 or darkness, so that you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you. 12 Is not God in the heights of heaven? See how high the highest stars are! 13 Yet you say, 'What does God know? Can he judge through such deep darkness? 14 Thick clouds veil him so that he cannot see, and he walks on the vault of heaven.' 15 Will you keep to the ancient path that wicked men have walked? 16 They were snatched away before their time, their foundation washed away by a flood. 17 They said to God, 'Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us?' 18 Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things— so I want nothing to do with the plans of the wicked. 19 The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent mock them, saying, 20 'Surely our enemies are destroyed, and the fire has consumed what they left behind.' 21 Submit to God now and be at peace with him; in this way good will come to you. 22 Receive instruction from his mouth, and store up his words in your heart. 23 If you return to the Almighty you will be restored; if you drive injustice far from your home, 24 and lay your gold in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the streambed, b b v24 Ophir was famous in the ancient world as a source of the finest gold. 25 then the Almighty himself will be your gold, your precious silver. 26 Then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God. 27 You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows. 28 What you decide will be done, and light will shine on your ways. 29 When others are brought low and you say, 'Lift them up!', he will save the downcast. 30 He will deliver even the one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands."