Bible in Basic English
For it was the man with power who had the land, and the man with an honoured name who was living in it.
You have sent widows away without hearing their cause, and you have taken away the support of the child who has no father.
For this cause nets are round your feet, and you are overcome with sudden fear.
Your light is made dark so that you are unable to see, and you are covered by a mass of waters.
Is not God as high as heaven? and see the stars, how high they are!
And you say, What knowledge has God? is he able to give decisions through the deep dark?
Thick clouds are covering him, so that he is unable to see; and he is walking on the arch of heaven.
Will you keep the old way by which evil men went?
Who were violently taken away before their time, who were overcome by the rush of waters:
Who said to God, Go away from us; and, What is the Ruler of all able to do to us?
Though he made their houses full of good things: but the purpose of the evil-doers is far from me!
The upright saw it and were glad: and those who had done no wrong made sport of them,
Saying, Truly, their substance is cut off, and their wealth is food for the fire.
Put yourself now in a right relation with him and be at peace: so will you do well in your undertakings.
Be pleased to take teaching from his mouth, and let his words be stored up in your heart.
If you come back to the Ruler of all, making yourself low before him; if you put evil far away from your tents;
And put your gold in the dust, even your gold of Ophir among the rocks of the valleys;
Then the Ruler of all will be your gold, and his teaching will be your silver;
For then you will have delight in the Ruler of all, and your face will be lifted up to God.
You will make your prayer to him, and be answered; and you will give effect to your oaths.
Your purposes will come about, and light will be shining on your ways.
For God makes low those whose hearts are lifted up, but he is a saviour to the poor in spirit.
He makes safe the man who is free from sin, and if your hands are clean, salvation will be yours.
— Job 22:8-1964, Bible in Basic English
“But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it. Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken. Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee; Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee. Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are! And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud? Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven. Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood: Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them? Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me. The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn. Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth. Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart. If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles. Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver. For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows. Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways. When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person. He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands. ”
Is not your evil-doing great? and there is no end to your sins.
For you have taken your brother's goods when he was not in your debt, and have taken away the clothing of those who have need of it.
You do not give water to the tired traveller, and from him who has no food you keep back bread.
For it was the man with power who had the land, and the man with an honoured name who was living in it.
You have sent widows away without hearing their cause, and you have taken away the support of the child who has no father.
For this cause nets are round your feet, and you are overcome with sudden fear.
Your light is made dark so that you are unable to see, and you are covered by a mass of waters.
Is not God as high as heaven? and see the stars, how high they are!
And you say, What knowledge has God? is he able to give decisions through the deep dark?
Thick clouds are covering him, so that he is unable to see; and he is walking on the arch of heaven.
Will you keep the old way by which evil men went?
Who were violently taken away before their time, who were overcome by the rush of waters:
Who said to God, Go away from us; and, What is the Ruler of all able to do to us?
Though he made their houses full of good things: but the purpose of the evil-doers is far from me!
The upright saw it and were glad: and those who had done no wrong made sport of them,
Saying, Truly, their substance is cut off, and their wealth is food for the fire.
Put yourself now in a right relation with him and be at peace: so will you do well in your undertakings.
Be pleased to take teaching from his mouth, and let his words be stored up in your heart.
If you come back to the Ruler of all, making yourself low before him; if you put evil far away from your tents;
And put your gold in the dust, even your gold of Ophir among the rocks of the valleys;
Then the Ruler of all will be your gold, and his teaching will be your silver;
For then you will have delight in the Ruler of all, and your face will be lifted up to God.
You will make your prayer to him, and be answered; and you will give effect to your oaths.
Your purposes will come about, and light will be shining on your ways.
For God makes low those whose hearts are lifted up, but he is a saviour to the poor in spirit.
He makes safe the man who is free from sin, and if your hands are clean, salvation will be yours.