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22:1  Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
22:2  “A man cannot be of any real use to God. Even a wise man does him no good.
22:3  It does not help God All-Powerful for you to be good. He gains nothing if you are innocent.
22:4  God does not punish you for respecting him. He does not bring you into court for this.
22:5  No! It is because your evil is without limits. And your sins have no end.
22:6  You took your brothers’ things to pay a debt they didn’t owe. You took clothes from people and left them naked.
22:7  You did not give water to tired people. And you kept food away from the hungry.
22:8  You were a powerful man who owned land. You were honored and lived in the land.
22:9  But you sent widows away without giving them anything. You even mistreated orphans.
22:10  That is why traps are all around you. That is why sudden danger frightens you.
22:11  That is why it is so dark you cannot see. And that is why a flood of water covers you.
22:12  “God is in the highest part of heaven. See how high the highest stars are!
22:13  But you say, ‘God knows nothing. He cannot judge us through the dark clouds.
22:14  Thick clouds cover him so he cannot see us. He walks around high up in the sky.’
22:15  Are you going to stay on the old path where evil people walk?
22:16  They were carried away before their time was up. Their foundations were washed away by a flood.
22:17  They said to God, ‘Leave us alone! God All-Powerful can do nothing to us.’
22:18  But it was God who filled their houses with good things. He did this even though their way of thinking was not godly.
22:19  “Good people can watch and be glad. Innocent people can laugh at them and say,
22:20  ‘Surely our enemies are destroyed. And fire burns up their wealth.’
22:21  “Obey God, and then you will be at peace with him. This way you can be happy.
22:22  Accept teaching from his mouth. Keep his words in your heart.
22:23  If you return to God All-Powerful, you will be blessed again. Remove evil from your house.
22:24  Throw your gold nuggets into the dust. Throw your fine gold to the rocks in the ravines.
22:25  Then God All-Powerful will be your gold. He will be the best silver for you.
22:26  You will find pleasure in God All-Powerful. And you will look up to him.
22:27  You will pray to him, and he will hear you. And you will keep your promises to him.
22:28  Anything you decide will be done. And light will shine on your ways.
22:29  When terrible things happen to people, you will say, ‘Have courage.’ Then those who are humble will be saved.
22:30  Even the guilty will escape. They will be saved because your hands are clean.”