Capítulo 22

1 - Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

2 - Can a man be profitable unto God? Surely he that is wise is profitable unto himself.

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

4 - Is it for thy fear [of him] that he reproveth thee, That he entereth with thee into judgment?

5 - Is not thy wickedness great? Neither is there any end to thine iniquities.

6 - For thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, And stripped the naked of their clothing.

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

8 - But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; And the honorable man, he dwelt in it.

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

10 - Therefore snares are round about thee, And sudden fear troubleth thee,

11 - Or darkness, so that thou canst not see, And abundance of waters cover thee.

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

13 - And thou sayest, What doth God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?

14 - Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he seeth not; And he walketh on the vault of heaven.

15 - Wilt thou keep the old way Which wicked men have trodden?

16 - Who were snatched away before their time, Whose foundation was poured out as a stream,

17 - Who said unto God, Depart from us; And, What can the Almighty do for us?

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

19 - The righteous see it, and are glad; And the innocent laugh them to scorn,

20 - [Saying], Surely they that did rise up against us are cut off, And the remnant of them the fire hath consumed.

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

22 - Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, And lay up his words in thy heart.

23 - If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, If thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents.

24 - And lay thou [thy] treasure in the dust, And [the gold of] Ophir among the stones of the brooks;

25 - And the Almighty will be thy treasure, And precious silver unto thee.

26 - For then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, And shalt lift up thy face unto God.

27 - Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee; And thou shalt pay thy vows.

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

29 - When they cast [thee] down, thou shalt say, [There is] lifting up; And the humble person he will save.

30 - He will deliver [even] him that is not innocent: Yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.