Chapter 22

  And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: --  

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  To God is a man profitable, Because a wise man to himself is profitable?  

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  Is it a delight to the Mighty One That thou art righteous? is it gain, That thou makest perfect thy ways?  

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  Because of thy reverence Doth He reason [with] thee? He entereth with thee into judgment:  

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  Is not thy wickedness abundant? And there is no end to thine iniquities.  

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  For thou takest a pledge of thy brother for nought, And the garments of the naked Thou dost strip off.  

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  Thou causest not the weary to drink water, And from the hungry thou withholdest bread.  

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  As to the man of arm -- he hath the earth, And the accepted of face -- he dwelleth in it.  

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  Widows thou hast sent away empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.  

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  Therefore round about thee [are] snares, And trouble thee doth fear suddenly.  

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  Or darkness -- thou dost not see, And abundance of waters doth cover thee.  

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  Is not God high [in] heaven? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high.  

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  And thou hast said, 'What -- hath God known? Through thickness doth He judge?  

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  Thick clouds [are] a secret place to Him, And He doth not see;' And the circle of the heavens He walketh habitually,  

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  The path of the age dost thou observe, That men of iniquity have trodden?  

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  Who have been cut down unexpectedly, A flood is poured out on their foundation.  

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  Those saying to God, 'Turn aside from us,' And what doth the Mighty One to them?  

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  And he hath filled their houses [with] good: (And the counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)  

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  See do the righteous and they rejoice, And the innocent mocketh at them,  

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  'Surely our substance hath not been cut off, And their excellency hath fire consumed.'  

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  Acquaint thyself, I pray thee, with Him, And be at peace, Thereby thine increase [is] good.  

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  Receive, I pray thee, from His mouth a law, And set His sayings in thy heart.  

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  If thou dost return unto the Mighty Thou art built up, Thou puttest iniquity far from thy tents.  

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  So as to set on the dust a defence, And on a rock of the valleys a covering.  

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  And the Mighty hath been thy defence, And silver [is] strength to thee.  

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  For then on the Mighty thou delightest thyself, And dost lift up unto God thy face,  

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  Thou dost make supplication unto Him, And He doth hear thee, And thy vows thou completest.  

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  And thou decreest a saying, And it is established to thee, And on thy ways hath light shone.  

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  For they have made low, And thou sayest, 'Lift up.' And the bowed down of eyes he saveth.  

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  He delivereth the not innocent, Yea, he hath been delivered By the cleanness of thy hands.  

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