Job 15

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

2 “Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill his belly with the hot east wind?

2 “Should a wise man answer with vain knowledge, and fill himself with the east wind?

3 Should he argue with useless words or speeches that serve no purpose?

3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or with speeches with which he can do no good?

4 But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him.

4 Yes, you do away with fear, and hinder devotion before God.

5 For your iniquity instructs your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.

5 For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.

6 Your own mouth, not mine, condemns you; your own lips testify against you.

6 Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.

7 Were you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?

7 “Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought out before the hills?

8 Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself?

8 Have you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?

9 What do you know that we do not? What do you understand that is not clear to us?

9 What do you know that we don’t know? What do you understand which is not in us?

10 Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side—men much older than your father.

10 With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, much older than your father.

11 Are the consolations of God not enough for you, even words spoken gently to you?

11 Are the consolations of God too small for you, even the word that is gentle toward you?

12 Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,

12 Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,

13 so that you turn your spirit against God and pour such words from your mouth?

13 that you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?

14 What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?

14 What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

15 If God puts no trust in His holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes,

15 Behold, he puts no trust in his holy ones. Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight;

16 how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?

16 how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!

17 Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen,

17 “I will show you, listen to me; that which I have seen I will declare

18 what was declared by wise men and was not concealed from their fathers,

18 (which wise men have told by their fathers, and have not hidden it;

19 to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them.

19 to whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them):

20 A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.

20 the wicked man writhes in pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.

21 Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.

21 A sound of terrors is in his ears. In prosperity the destroyer will come on him.

22 He despairs of his return from darkness; he is marked for the sword.

22 He doesn’t believe that he will return out of darkness. He is waited for by the sword.

23 He wanders about as food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.

23 He wanders abroad for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’ He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

24 Distress and anguish terrify him, overwhelming him like a king poised to attack.

24 Distress and anguish make him afraid. They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.

25 For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty,

25 Because he has stretched out his hand against God, and behaves himself proudly against the Almighty,

26 rushing headlong at Him with a thick, studded shield.

26 he runs at him with a stiff neck, with the thick shields of his bucklers,

27 Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with flesh,

27 because he has covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat on his thighs.

28 he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become rubble.

28 He has lived in desolate cities, in houses which no one inhabited, which were ready to become heaps.

29 He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not overspread the land.

29 He will not be rich, neither will his substance continue, neither will their possessions be extended on the earth.

30 He will not escape from the darkness; the flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away.

30 He will not depart out of darkness. The flame will dry up his branches. He will go away by the breath of God’s mouth.

31 Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward.

31 Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his reward.

32 It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not flourish.

32 It will be accomplished before his time. His branch will not be green.

33 He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.

33 He will shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and will cast off his flower as the olive tree.

34 For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.

34 For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.

35 They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb is pregnant with deceit.”

35 They conceive mischief and produce iniquity. Their heart prepares deceit.”