Job 22

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Eliphaz Answers Job

22 <1> Then Eliphaz from Teman answered:

<2> "Does God need our help?

Even a very wise person isn't really useful to God.

<3> Does your living right help God?

Does God All-Powerful gain anything

if you follow him?

<4> Why does God punish and blame you?

Is it because you worship him?

<5> No, it is because you have sinned much.

You never stop sinning.

<6> Maybe you loaned someone money,

and without reason, took something

to make sure that they paid you back.

Maybe you took some poor man's clothes

to make sure that he paid the loan.[47]

<7> Maybe you didn't give water and food

to tired, hungry people.

<8> You have a lot of farmland,

and people respect you.

<9> But maybe you sent widows away

without giving them anything.

Maybe you cheated orphans.

<10> That is why traps are all around you,

and sudden trouble makes you afraid.

<11> That is why it is so dark you cannot see,

and why a flood of water covers you.

<12> "God lives in the highest part of heaven

and looks down on the highest stars.

<13> But you might say,

'What does God know?

Can God see through the dark clouds and judge us?

<14> Thick clouds hide him from us,

so he cannot see us as he walks beyond the edge of the sky.'

<15> "Job, you are walking on the old path

that evil people walked on long ago.

<16> They were destroyed before it was their time to die.

They were washed away by the flood.

<17> They told God,

'Leave us alone!

God All-Powerful cannot do anything to us!'

<18> And it was God who filled their houses

with good things.

No, I cannot follow the advice of evil people.

<19> Those who do what is right

will be happy to see them destroyed.

The innocent will laugh at them and say,

<20> 'Surely our enemies are destroyed!

Their wealth burned in the fire!'

<21> "Now, Job, give yourself to God

and make peace with him.

Do this, and you will get many good things.

<22> Accept his teaching.

Pay attention to what he says.

<23> If you return to God All-Powerful, you will be restored.

But remove the evil from your house.

<24> Think of your gold as nothing but dirt;

think of your best gold[48] as pebbles from a stream.

<25> And let God All-Powerful be your gold.

Let him be your pile of silver.

<26> Then you will enjoy God All-Powerful,

and you will look up to him.

<27> You will pray to him, and he will hear you.

And you will be able to do what you promised to do.

<28> If you decide to do something,

it will be successful.

And your future will be bright indeed!

<29> When people are brought down,

you can help them up,

and God will rescue those humble people.

<30> Then you can help those who made mistakes.

You will pray to God and he will forgive them,

because you will be so pure."