Eliphaz's Final Charge

Job 22

Eliphaz speaks a third time, now charging Job directly with specific wrongs, taking pledges from his brothers without cause, withholding water from the thirsty, and sending widows and orphans away empty. He urges Job to turn back to the Lord in humility, promising that if he does so his fortunes will be restored and his prayers will be heard.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonUPON this, Eliphaz the Thaimanite answered, and said:

BrentonThen Eliphaz the Thæmanite answered and said,

GreekὙπολαβὼν δὲ Ἐλιφὰζ ὁ Θαιμανίτης, λέγει,

JPSThen answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:

ThomsonIs it not the Lord Who teacheth wisdom and understanding?

BrentonIs it not the Lord that teaches understanding and knowledge?

GreekΠότερον οὐχὶ ὁ Κύριός ἐστιν ὁ διδάσκων σύνεσιν καὶ ἐπιστήμην;

JPS—

ThomsonWhat! Is it any advantage to the Lord, if thou, in works, art irreprehensible? or any profit, that thou shouldst keep a straight course?

BrentonFor what matters it to the Lord, if thou wert blameless in thy works? or is it profitable that thou shouldest perfect thy way?

GreekΤί γὰρ μέλει τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἐὰν σὺ ἦσθα τοῖς ἔργοις ἄμεμπτος; ἢ ὠφέλεια, ὅτι ἀπλώσῃς τὴν ὁδόν σου;

JPS—

Thomson—

BrentonWilt thou maintain and plead thine own cause? and will he enter into judgment with thee?

GreekἪ λόγον σου ποιοῦμενος ἐλέγξεις, καὶ συνεισελεύσεταί σοι εἰς κρίσιν;

JPSIs it for thy fear of Him that He reproveth thee, That He entereth with thee into judgment?

ThomsonIs not thy wickedness great, and thy sins innumerable?

BrentonIs not thy wickedness abundant, and thy sins innumerable?

GreekΠότερον οὐχ ἡ κακία σου ἐστὶ πολλὴ, ἀναρίθμητοι δέ σου εἰσὶν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι;

JPS—

ThomsonThou hast taken pledges of thy brethren for nought, and hast stripped the naked of their clothing.

BrentonAnd thou hast taken security of thy brethren for nothing, and hast taken away the clothing of the naked.

GreekἨνεχύραζες δὲ τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου διακενῆς, ἀμφίασιν δὲ γυμνῶν ἀφείλου.

JPSFor thou hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, And stripped the naked of their clothing.

ThomsonThou hast not given drink to the thirsty: but hast robbed the hungry of their morsel.

BrentonNeither hast thou given water to the thirsty to drink, but hast taken away the morsel of the hungry.

GreekΟὐδὲ ὕδωρ διψῶντας ἐπότισας, ἀλλὰ πεινώντων ἐστέρησας ψωμόν·

JPSThou hast not given water to the weary to drink, And thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.

ThomsonThou hast respected the persons of some and settled them in the land;

BrentonAnd thou hast accepted the persons of some; and thou hast established those that were already settled on the earth.

GreekἘθαύμασας δέ τινων πρόσωπον, ᾤκισας δὲ τοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.

JPS—

Thomsonbut hast sent widows away empty, and done injustice to orphans.

BrentonBut thou hast sent widows away empty, and hast afflicted orphans.

GreekΧήρας δὲ ἐξαπέστειλας κενὰς, ὀρφανοὺς δὲ ἐκάκωσας.

JPSThou hast sent widows away empty, And the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

ThomsonTherefore snares have beset thee, and an unexpected war hath made thee shudder.

BrentonTherefore snares have compassed thee, and disastrous war has troubled thee.

GreekΤοιγαροῦν ἐκύκλωσάν σε παγίδες, καὶ ἐσπούδασέ σε πόλεμος ἐξαίσιος.

JPS—

ThomsonThe light hath become darkness to thee, and water hath overwhelmed thee when asleep.

BrentonThe light has proved darkness to thee, and water has covered thee on thy lying down.

GreekΤὸ φῶς σοι σκότος ἀπέβη, κοιμηθέντα δὲ ὕδωρ σε ἐκάλυψε.

JPS—

Thomson—

BrentonDoes not he that dwells in the high places observe? and has he not brought down the proud?

GreekΜὴ οὐχὶ ὁ τὰ ὑψηλὰ ναίων ἐφορᾷ; τοὺς δὲ ὕβρει φερομένους ἐταπείνωσε;

JPS—

ThomsonYes, thou hast said, How can the Almighty know? Can He judge in darkness?

BrentonAnd thou hast said, What does the Mighty One know? does he judge in the dark?

GreekΚαὶ εἶπας, τί ἔγνω ὁ ἰσχυρός; ἢ κατὰ τοῦ γνόφου κρίνει;

JPSAnd thou sayest: ‘What doth God know? Can He judge through the dark cloud?

ThomsonA cloud is His covering, so that He cannot be seen, though He traverse the circuit of heaven.

BrentonA cloud is his hiding-place, and he shall not be seen; and he passes through the circle of heaven.

GreekΝεφέλη ἀποκρυφὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐχ ὁραθήσεται, καὶ γῦρον οὐρανοῦ διαπορεύεται.

JPS—

ThomsonThou wilt not keep the ancient way, which righteous men trod,

BrentonWilt thou not mark the old way, which righteous men have trodden?

GreekΜὴ τρίβον αἰώνιον φυλάξεις, ἣν ἐπάτησαν ἄνδρες δίκαιοι,

JPSWilt thou keep the old way Which wicked men have trodden?

Thomsonwho were borne aloft, and whose foundations were the surging stream. As for them

Brentonwho were seized before their time: their foundations are as an overflowing stream.

Greekοἳ συνελήφθησαν ἄωροι; ποταμὸς ἐπιῤῥέων οἱ θεμέλιοι αὐτῶν,

JPSWho were snatched away before their time, Whose foundation was poured out as a stream;

Thomsonwho said, What can the Lord do to us, or what can the Almighty bring upon us?

BrentonWho say, What will the Lord do to us? or what will the Almighty bring upon us?

Greekοἱ λέγοντες, Κύριος τί ποιήσει ἡμῖν; ἢ τί ἐπάξεται ἡμῖν ὁ παντοκράτωρ;

JPSWho said unto God: ‘Depart from us’; And what could the Almighty do unto them?

Thomson(He, who had indeed filled their houses with good things, though the counsel of the wicked is far from Him),

BrentonYet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from him.

GreekὋς δὲ ἐνέπλησε τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν ἀγαθῶν, βουλὴ δὲ ἀσεβῶν πόῤῥω ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ.

JPSYet He filled their houses with good things— But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

Thomsonwhen the righteous saw them, they smiled; and he who was blameless laughed them to scorn.

BrentonThe righteous have seen it, and laughed, and the blameless one has derided them.

GreekἸδόντες δίκαιοι ἐγέλασαν, ἄμεμπτος δὲ ἐμυκτήρισεν.

JPS—

Thomson—

BrentonVerily their substance has been utterly destroyed, and the fire shall devour what is left of their property.

GreekΕἰ μὴ ἠφανίσθη ἡ ὑπόστασις αὐτῶν, καὶ τὸ κατάλειμμα αὐτῶν καταφάγεται πῦρ.

JPS—

Thomson—

BrentonBe firm, I pray thee, if thou canst endure; then thy fruit shall prosper.

GreekΓενοῦ δὴ σκληρὸς, ἐὰν ὑπομείνῃς, εἶτα ὁ καρπός σου ἔσται ἐν ἀγαθοῖς.

JPS—

ThomsonReceive, I pray thee, from His mouth, the terms of deliverance, and lay up His words in thy heart.

BrentonAnd receive a declaration from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.

GreekἜκλαβε δὲ ἐκ στόματος αὐτοῦ ἐξηγορίαν, καὶ ἀνάλαβε τὰ ῥήματα αὐτοῦ ἐν καρδίᾳ σου.

JPSReceive, I pray thee, instruction from His mouth, And lay up His words in thy heart.

ThomsonIf thou wilt return and humble thyself before the Lord, having removed iniquity far from thy dwelling,

BrentonAnd if thou shalt turn and humble thyself before the Lord, thou hast thus removed unrighteousness far from thy habitation.

GreekἘὰν δὲ ἐπιστραφῇς καὶ ταπεινώσῃς σεαυτὸν ἔναντι Κυρίου, πόῤῥω ἐποίησας ἀπὸ διαίτης σου ἄδικον.

JPSIf thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up— If thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents,

Thomsonthou shalt be placed on a mount, founded on a rock, and be like the rock of the torrent Sophir.

BrentonThou shalt lay up for thyself treasure in a heap on the rock; and Sophir shall be as the rock of the torrent.

GreekΘήσῃ ἐπὶ χώματι ἐν πέτρᾳ, καὶ ὡς πέτρα χειμάῤῥου Σωφίρ.

JPS—

ThomsonThen will the Almighty be thy defence from enemies; and He will make thee pure as silver tried by fire.

BrentonSo the Almighty shall be thy helper from enemies, and he shall bring thee forth pure as silver that has been tried by fire.

GreekἜσται οὖν σου ὁ παντοκράτωρ βοηθὸς ἀπὸ ἐχθρῶν, καθαρὸν δὲ ἀποδώσει σε ὥσπερ ἀργύριον πεπυρωμένον.

JPSAnd the Almighty be thy treasure, And precious silver unto thee;

ThomsonThen indeed thou shalt have confidence before the Lord; and mayst look up to heaven with cheerfulness.

BrentonThen shalt thou have boldness before the Lord, looking up cheerfully to heaven.

GreekΕἶτα παῤῥησιασθήσῃ ἐναντίον Κυρίου ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἱλαρῶς.

JPSThen surely shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, And shalt lift up thy face unto God.

ThomsonAnd when thou prayest to Him, He will hearken to thee, and will enable thee to pay thy vows;

BrentonAnd he shall hear thee when thou prayest to him, and he shall grant thee power to pay thy vows.

GreekΕὐξαμένου δέ σου πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰσακούσεταί σου· δώσει δέ σοι ἀποδοῦναι τὰς εὐχάς.

JPSThou shalt make thy prayer unto Him, and He will hear thee, And thou shalt pay thy vows;

Thomsonand He will assign thee an habitation of righteousness, and light shall shine upon thy ways.

BrentonAnd he shall establish to thee again a habitation of righteousness and there shall be light upon thy paths.

GreekἈποκαταστήσει δέ σοι δίαιταν δικαιοσύνης, ἐπὶ δὲ ὁδοῖς σου ἔσται φέγγος·

JPS—

ThomsonBecause thou hast humbled thyself, thou wilt say, Such a one was insolent—but He will save him whose eyes are lowly.

BrentonBecause thou hast humbled thyself; and thou shalt say, Man has behaved proudly, but he shall save him that is of lowly eyes.

GreekὍτι ἐταπείνωσας σεαυτὸν, καὶ ἐρεῖς, ὑπερηφανεύσατο, καὶ κύφοντα ὀφθαλμοῖς σώσει.

JPS—

ThomsonHe indeed will save the innocent. Save thyself, therefore, with clean hands.

BrentonHe shall deliver the innocent, and do thou save thyself by thy pure hands.

GreekῬύσεται ἀθῶον, καὶ διασώθητι ἐν καθαραῖς χερσί σου.

JPSHe delivereth him that is innocent, Yea, thou shalt be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.