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22:1  Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
22:2  “Can a vigorous man be of use to God, Or a wise man be useful to himself?
22:3  “Is it any pleasure or joy to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or is it of benefit to Him that you make your ways perfect?
22:4  “Is it because of your fear of Him that He corrects you, That He enters into judgment against you?
22:5  “Is not your wickedness great, And your sins without end?
22:6  “For you have taken pledges of your brothers without cause, And stripped men naked.
22:7  “You have not given water to the weary to drink, And you have withheld bread from the hungry.
22:8  “But the land is possessed by the man with power, And the favored and honorable man dwells in it.
22:9  “You have sent widows away empty-handed, And the arms (strength) of the fatherless have been broken.
22:10  “Therefore snares surround you, And sudden dread terrifies and overwhelms you;
22:11  Or darkness, so that you cannot see, And a flood of water covers you.
22:12  “Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the distant stars, how high they are!
22:13  “You say, ‘What does God know [about me]? Can He judge through the thick darkness?
22:14  ‘Thick clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see, And He walks on the vault (circle) of the heavens.’
22:15  “Will you keep to the ancient path That wicked men walked [in the time of Noah],
22:16  Men who were snatched away before their time, Whose foundations were poured out like a river?
22:17  “They said to God, ‘Depart from us! What can the Almighty do for us or to us?’
22:18  “Yet He filled their houses with good things; But the counsel of the wicked and ungodly is far from me.
22:19  “The righteous see it and are glad; And the innocent mock and laugh at them, saying,
22:20  ‘Surely our adversaries are cut off and destroyed, And fire has consumed their abundance.’
22:21  “Now yield and submit yourself to Him [agree with God and be conformed to His will] and be at peace; In this way [you will prosper and great] good will come to you.
22:22  “Please receive the law and instruction from His mouth And establish His words in your heart and keep them.
22:23  “If you return to the Almighty [and submit and humble yourself before Him], you will be built up [and restored]; If you remove unrighteousness far from your tents,
22:24  And place your gold in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks [considering it of little value],
22:25  And make the Almighty your gold And your precious silver,
22:26  Then you will have delight in the Almighty, And you will lift up your face to God.
22:27  “You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, And you will pay your vows.
22:28  “You will also decide and decree a thing, and it will be established for you; And the light [of God’s favor] will shine upon your ways.
22:29  “When you are cast down and humbled, you will speak with confidence, And the humble person He will lift up and save.
22:30  “He will even rescue the one [for whom you intercede] who is not innocent; And he will be rescued through the cleanness of your hands.”