sweet to him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him. 34 How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood? [1]
CHAP. 22.
1 Eliphaz sheweth that man's goodness profiteth not God. 5 He accuseth Job of divers sins. 21 He exhorteth him to repentance, with promises of mercy.
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 Can a man be profitable to God, as he that is wise may be profitable to himself? [2]
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 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 Is not thy wickedness great? and thy iniquities without end?
6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother without cause, and stripped the naked of their clothing. [3]
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withheld bread from the hungry.
8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it. [4] [5]
9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Therefore snares are around thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;
11 Or darkness, 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! [6]
13 And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud? [7]
14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.
15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 Who were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflowed with a flood: [8]
17 Who said to God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them? [9]
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 mock them.
20 Though our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth. [10] [11]
21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: by this good shall come to thee. [12]
22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.
23 If thou shalt return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tents.
24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. [13]
25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver. [14] [15]
26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face to God.
27 Thou shalt make thy prayer to him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established to thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, Lift them up; and he shall save the humble person. [16]
30 He shall deliver the isle of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thy hands. [17]
CHAP. 23.
1 Job longeth to appear before God, 6 in confidence of his mercy. 8 God, who is invisible, observeth our ways. 11 Job's innocency. 13 God's decree is immutable.
Then Job answered and said,
2 Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning. [18]
3 O that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!
4 I would set my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me.
6 Would he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.
7 There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.
8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there ; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him : he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him :
10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. [19]
11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.
12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food . [20] [21]
13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
14 For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.
15 Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am afraid of him.
16 For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:
17 Because I was not cut off before the
- ↑ falsehood: Heb. transgression?
- ↑ as he...: or, if he may be profitable, doth his good success depend thereon?
- ↑ the naked...: Heb. the clothes of the naked
- ↑ mighty...: Heb. man of arm
- ↑ honourable...: Heb. eminent, or, accepted for countenance
- ↑ height of the stars: Heb. head of the stars
- ↑ How: or, What
- ↑ whose...: Heb. a flood was poured upon their foundation
- ↑ for: or, to
- ↑ substance: or, estate
- ↑ the remnant...: or, their excellency
- ↑ him: that is, God
- ↑ as dust: or, on the dust
- ↑ defence: or, gold
- ↑ plenty...: Heb. silver of strength
- ↑ the humble...: Heb. him that hath low eyes
- ↑ He shall...: or, The innocent shall deliver the island
- ↑ stroke: Heb. hand
- ↑ that...: Heb. that is with me
- ↑ esteemed: Heb. hid, or, laid up
- ↑ my...: or, my appointed portion
