Book of Job, Chapter 22
Job 22 NWT - New World TranslationChapter 22 of Job—New World Translation (NWT)
- ¶ And Elʹi·phaz the Teʹman·ite proceeded to answer and say:
- ¶ “Can an able-bodied man[a] be of use to God[b] himself,1
That anyone having insight should be of use toward him? - ¶ Does the Almighty have any delight in that you are righteous,2
Or any gain in that you make your way blameless?3 - ¶ For your reverence will he reprove you,
Will he come with you into the judgment?4 - ¶ Is not your own badness too much already,5
And will there be no end to your errors? - ¶ For you seize a pledge from your brothers without cause,6
And you strip off even the garments of naked people. - ¶ You do not give the tired one a drink of water,
And from the hungry one you hold back bread.7 - ¶ As for a man[c] of strength,[d] the land is his,8
And one who is treated with partiality himself dwells in it. - ¶ Widows you have sent away empty-handed,
And the arms of fatherless boys are crushed.[e]9 - ¶ That is why bird traps are all around you,10
And sudden dread disturbs you; - ¶ Or darkness, [so that] you cannot see,
And a heaving mass of water itself covers you. - ¶ Is not God[f] the height of heaven?11
Also see[g] the sum total of the stars,[h]12 that they are high. - ¶ And yet you have said: ‘What does God[i] really know?
Through thick gloom can he judge? - ¶ Clouds are a concealment place for him so that he does not see,
And on the vault of heaven he walks about.’ - ¶ Will you keep to the very way of long ago
That hurtful men[j] have trodden, - ¶ [Men] who have been snatched away before their time,13
Whose foundation14 is poured away just as a river, - ¶ Who are saying to the [true] God:[k] ‘Turn away from us!15
And what can the Almighty accomplish against us?’[l] - ¶ Yet he himself has filled their houses with good things;16
And the very counsel of wicked ones has kept far from me.17 - ¶ The righteous ones will see and rejoice,18
And the innocent one himself will hold them in derision: - ¶ ‘Truly our antagonists[m] have been effaced;
And what is left of them a fire will certainly eat up.’ - ¶ Acquaint yourself, please, with him, and keep peace;
Thereby good things will come to you. - ¶ Take, please, the law from his own mouth,
And put his sayings in your heart.19 - ¶ If you return to the Almighty,20 you will be built up;
[If] you will keep unrighteousness far from your tent, - ¶ And [if] there is a placing of precious ore in the dust
And gold of Oʹphir21 in the rock of torrent valleys, - ¶ The Almighty also will indeed become your precious ores,
And silver, the choicest, to you.22 - ¶ For then in the Almighty you will find your exquisite delight,23
And you will raise your face to God[n] himself.24 - ¶ You will make entreaty to him, and he will hear you;25
And your vows you will pay.26 - ¶ And you will decide on something, and it will stand for you;
And upon your ways light will certainly shine.27 - ¶ For there must be a humiliation when you speak arrogantly;28
But one with downcast eyes he will save.29 - ¶ He will rescue an innocent man,[o]30
And you will certainly be rescued for the cleanness of your hands.”[p]31
FOOTNOTES
- ^ “An able-bodied man.” Heb., gaʹver.
- ^ “To God.” Heb., hal·ʼElʹ. Here ha is an interrogative particle introducing a question.
- ^ “As for a man.” Heb., weʼishʹ.
- ^ Lit., “arm.”
- ^ “Are crushed,” M; TLXXSyVg, “you crush.”
- ^ “God.” Heb., ʼElohʹah.
- ^ “See,” M; LXXSy, “he sees.”
- ^ Or, “the head of the stars,” that is, the highest star.
- ^ “God.” Heb., ʼEl.
- ^ Lit., “men of hurtfulness.” Heb., metheh-ʼaʹwen.
- ^ “To the [true] God.” Heb., la·ʼElʹ; LXX, “Jehovah.” See App 1G.
- ^ “Against us,” LXXSy; M, “against him.”
- ^ “Our antagonists,” M; by a correction, “their property.”
- ^ “God.” Heb., ʼElohʹah.
- ^ Possibly, “God will rescue the innocent one.” Lit., “He will rescue one not innocent.” M appears defective here.
- ^ Lit., “palms.”
REFERENCES
- ^ Ex 3:10; Jb 42:8; 2Co 5:20
- ^ Pr 15:8; Je 9:24
- ^ Jb 2:3; Pr 11:20; 27:11
- ^ Ps 7:9
- ^ Jb 1:8; 4:7
- ^ Jb 31:19; 42:7
- ^ Jb 31:17; 42:8
- ^ Jb 31:25
- ^ Jb 42:7; Pr 29:12; 31:21
- ^ Jb 18:9
- ^ Ps 115:3
- ^ Ps 147:4
- ^ Ps 55:23
- ^ Jb 4:19
- ^ Is 30:11
- ^ Ps 17:14; Mt 5:45; Ac 14:17
- ^ Jb 21:16
- ^ Ps 107:42
- ^ Jb 11:13
- ^ Jb 8:5
- ^ 1Ki 9:28; Jb 28:16; Ps 45:9; Is 13:12
- ^ Is 33:6
- ^ Ps 37:4
- ^ Jb 27:10
- ^ Ps 65:2
- ^ Ps 116:14; Ec 5:4
- ^ Pr 4:18
- ^ Pr 16:18; 29:23; Jm 4:6; 1Pe 5:5
- ^ Ps 138:6; Is 66:2; Lu 18:13
- ^ Ge 19:16; 2Pe 2:9
- ^ Ps 24:4
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