15 Will you keep to the old path that the wicked have trod? 16 They were carried off before their time, their foundations washed away by a flood. 17 They said to God, 'Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us?' 18 Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things, so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked. 19 The righteous see their ruin and rejoice; the innocent mock them, saying, 20 'Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire devours their wealth.'

Other Translations of Job 22:15-20

King James Version

15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? 16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood: 17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them? 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 laugh them to scorn. 20 Whereas our substance substance: or, estate is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.

English Standard Version

15 Will you keep to the old way that wicked men have trod? 16 They were snatched away before their time; their foundation was washed away. 17 They said to God, 'Depart from us,' and 'What can the Almighty do to us?'Hebrew them 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; the innocent one mocks at them, 20 saying, 'Surely our adversaries are cut off, and what they left the fire has consumed.'

The Message

15 "Are you going to persist in that tired old line that wicked men and women have always used? 16 Where did it get them? They died young, flash floods sweeping them off to their doom. 17 They told God, 'Get lost! What good is God Almighty to us?' 18 And yet it was God who gave them everything they had. It's beyond me how they can carry on like this! 19 "Good people see bad people crash, and call for a celebration. Relieved, they crow, 20 'At last! Our enemies - wiped out. Everything they had and stood for is up in smoke!'

New King James Version

15 Will you keep to the old way Which wicked men have trod, 16 Who were cut down before their time, Whose foundations were swept away by a flood? 17 They said to God, 'Depart from us! What can the Almighty do to them?' 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 laugh at them: 20 'Surely our adversaries are cut down, And the fire consumes their remnant.'

New Living Translation

15 "Will you continue on the old paths where evil people have walked? 16 They were snatched away in the prime of life, the foundations of their lives washed away. 17 For they said to God, 'Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us?' 18 Yet he was the one who filled their homes with good things, so I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking. 19 "The righteous will be happy to see the wicked destroyed, and the innocent will laugh in contempt. 20 They will say, 'See how our enemies have been destroyed. The last of them have been consumed in the fire.'

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 22:15-20

Commentary on Job 22:15-20

(Read Job 22:15-20)

Eliphaz would have Job mark the old way that wicked men have trodden, and see what the end of their way was. It is good for us to mark it, that we may not walk therein. But if others are consumed, and we are not, instead of blaming them, and lifting up ourselves, as Eliphaz does here, we ought to be thankful to God, and take it for a warning.