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The Book of Job

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- Chapter 22 -

Eliphaz accuses Job of wickedness

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Then Eliphaz the Themanite responded by saying:
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Can man be compared with God, even if he were perfect in knowledge?
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What advantage is it to God, if you were just? Or what do you provide for him, if your way should be immaculate?
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Will he reprove you and take you to judgment for being afraid,
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and not because of your many evil deeds and your infinite unfairness?
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For you have taken away the collateral of your brothers without cause, and stripped them naked of their clothing.
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You have not given water to the weary; you have taken bread away from the hungry.
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By the strength of your arm, you took possession of the land, and you retain it by being the strongest.
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You have sent widows away empty, and you have crushed the shoulders of orphans.
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Because of this, you are surrounded by traps, and unexpected fears will disturb you.
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And did you think that you would not see darkness and that you were not to be overwhelmed by the onrush of overflowing waters?
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Have you not considered that God is higher than the heavens and is lifted above the height of the stars?
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And you say: “Well, what does God know?” and, “He judges, as if through a fog,”
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and, “The clouds are his hiding-place,” and, “He does not examine us closely,” and, “He makes his rounds at the limits of the heavens.”
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Do you not want to tend the path of the ages, which wicked men have spurned?
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These were taken away before their time, and a flood overthrew their foundation.
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They said to God, “Withdraw from us,” and they treated the Almighty as if he could do nothing,
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though he had filled their houses with good things. May their way of thinking be far from me.
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The just will see and will rejoice, and the innocent will mock them.
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Has not their haughtiness been cut down, and has not fire devoured the remnants of them?
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So, repose yourself with him and be at peace, and, in this way, you will have the best fruits.
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Accept the law from his mouth, and place his words in your heart.
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If you will return to the Almighty, you will be rebuilt, and you will put sinfulness far from your tabernacle.
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He will give you stone in place of dirt, and torrents of gold in place of stone.
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And the Almighty will be against your enemies, and silver will be gathered together for you.
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Then will you flock together in delight over the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God.
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You will plead with him, and he will listen to you, and you will pay your vows.
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You will decide on something, and it will come to you, and the light will shine in your ways.
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For he who had been humbled, will be in glory; and he who will lower his eyes, will be the one saved.
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The innocent will be saved, and he will be saved with purity in his hands.

Eliphaz accuses Job of wickedness

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Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
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“Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
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Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him that you make your ways perfect?
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Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?
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Isn’t your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.
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For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
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You haven’t given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
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But as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honorable man, he lived in it.
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You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
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Therefore snares are around you. Sudden fear troubles you,
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or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.
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“Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!
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You say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
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Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn’t see. He walks on the vault of the sky.’
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Will you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,
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who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
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who said to God, ‘Depart from us!’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do for us?’
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Yet he filled their houses with good things, but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
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The righteous see it, and are glad. The innocent ridicule them,
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saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’
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“Acquaint yourself with him now, and be at peace. By it, good will come to you.
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Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
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If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.
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Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
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The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.
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For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God.
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You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You will pay your vows.
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You will also decree a thing, and it will be established to you. Light will shine on your ways.
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When they cast down, you will say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.
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He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”
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