Job 15
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
And Eliphaz the Temanite answers and says:
2 “Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill his belly with the hot east wind?
“Does a wise man answer [with] vain knowledge? And fill his belly [with] an east wind?
3 Should he argue with useless words or speeches that serve no purpose?
To reason with a word not useful? And speeches—no profit in them?
4 But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him.
Indeed, you make reverence void, and diminish meditation before God.
5 For your iniquity instructs your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.
For your mouth teaches your iniquity, And you choose the tongue of the cunning.
6 Your own mouth, not mine, condemns you; your own lips testify against you.
Your mouth declares you wicked, and not I, And your lips testify against you.
7 Were you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?
Are you the first man born? And were you formed before the heights?
8 Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself?
Do you hear of the secret counsel of God? And withdraw wisdom to you?
9 What do you know that we do not? What do you understand that is not clear to us?
What have you known, and we do not know? [What] do you understand, and it is not with us?
10 Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side— men much older than your father.
Both the gray-headed And the very aged [are] among us—Greater than your father [in] days.
11 Are the consolations of God not enough for you, even words spoken gently to you?
Are the comforts of God too few for you? And a gentle word [is] with you,
12 Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,
Why does your heart take you away? And why are your eyes high?
13 as you turn your spirit against God and pour such words from your mouth?
Do you turn your spirit against God? And have brought out words from your mouth:
14 What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?
What [is] man that he is pure, And that he is righteous, one born of woman?
15 If God puts no trust in His holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes,
Behold, He puts no credence in His holy ones, And the heavens have not been pure in His eyes.
16 how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?
Also—surely abominable and filthy Is man drinking perverseness as water.
17 Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen,
I show you—listen to me—And this I have seen and declare,
18 what was declared by wise men and was not concealed from their fathers,
Which the wise declare—And have not hid—from their fathers.
19 to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them.
To them alone was the land given, And a stranger did not pass over into their midst:
20 A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.
All [the] days of the wicked he is paining himself, And few years have been laid up for the terrible one.
21 Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.
A fearful voice [is] in his ears, In peace a destroyer comes to him.
22 He despairs of his return from darkness; he is marked for the sword.
He does not believe to return from darkness, And he watches for the sword.
23 He wanders about as food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
He is wandering for bread: Where [is] it? He has known that ready at his hand Is a day of darkness.
24 Distress and anguish terrify him, overwhelming him like a king poised to attack.
Adversity and distress terrify him, They prevail over him as a king ready for a boaster.
25 For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty,
For he stretched out his hand against God, And against the Mighty he makes himself mighty.
26 rushing headlong at Him with a thick, studded shield.
He runs to Him with a neck, With thick bosses of his shields.
27 Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with flesh,
For he has covered his face with his fat, And makes vigor over [his] confidence.
28 he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become rubble.
And he inhabits cities cut off, houses not dwelt in, That have been ready to become heaps.
29 He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not overspread the land.
He is not rich, nor does his wealth rise, Nor does he stretch out their continuance on 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.
He does not turn aside from darkness, A flame dries up his tender branch, And he turns aside at the breath of His mouth!
31 Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward.
Do not let him put credence in vanity, He has been deceived, For vanity is his exchange.
32 It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not flourish.
It is not completed in his day, And his bending branch is not green.
33 He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.
He shakes off his unripe fruit as a vine, And casts off his blossom as an olive.
34 For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
For the company of the profane [is] barren, And fire has consumed tents of bribery.
35 They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb is pregnant with deceit.”
To conceive misery, and to bear iniquity, Even their heart prepares deceit.”
