Job 15
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
2 “Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill his belly with the hot east wind?
Should a wise man answer with arguments of wind, Or fill his bosom with the east wind?
3 Should he argue with useless words or speeches that serve no purpose?
Should he argue with speech that helpeth him not, And with words which do not profit him?
4 But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him.
Behold, thou makest the fear of God a vain thing, And discouragest prayer before him.
5 For your iniquity instructs your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.
Yea, thy own mouth proclaimeth thy iniquity, Though thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
6 Your own mouth, not mine, condemns you; your own lips testify against you.
Thy own mouth condemneth thee, and not I; Thy own lips testify against thee.
7 Were you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?
Art thou the first man that was born? Wast thou formed before the hills?
8 Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself?
Hast thou listened in the council of God, And drawn all wisdom to thyself?
9 What do you know that we do not? What do you understand that is not clear to us?
What dost thou know, that we know not also? What dost thou understand, that is a secret to us?
10 Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side— men much older than your father.
With us are the aged and hoary-headed; Much older than thy father.
11 Are the consolations of God not enough for you, even words spoken gently to you?
Dost thou despise the consolations of God, And words so full of kindness to thee?
12 Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,
Why hath thy passion taken possession of thee? And why this winking of thine eyes?
13 as you turn your spirit against God and pour such words from your mouth?
For against God hast thou turned thy spirit, And uttered such words from thy 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 should be pure, And he that is born of woman, that he should be innocent?
15 If God puts no trust in His holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes,
Behold, He putteth no trust in his ministering spirits, And the heavens are not pure in his sight;
16 how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?
Much less, abominable and polluted man, Who drinketh iniquity as water.
17 Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen,
Hear me, and I will show thee, And that which I have seen will I declare;
18 what was declared by wise men and was not concealed from their fathers,
Which the wise men have told, And not kept concealed, as received from their fathers;
19 to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them.
To whom alone the land was given, And among whom not a stranger wandered.
20 A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.
“All his days the wicked man is in pain; Yea, all the years, that are laid up for the oppressor.
21 Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.
A fearful sound is in his ears; In peace the destroyer cometh upon him.
22 He despairs of his return from darkness; he is marked for the sword.
He hath no hope that he shall escape from darkness; He is set apart for the sword.
23 He wanders about as food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
He wandereth about, seeking bread; He knoweth that a day of darkness is at hand.
24 Distress and anguish terrify him, overwhelming him like a king poised to attack.
Distress and anguish fill him with dread; They prevail against him like a king ready for the battle.
25 For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty,
Because he stretched forth his hand against God, And bade defiance to the Almighty,
26 rushing headlong at Him with a thick, studded shield.
And ran against him with outstretched neck, With the thick bosses of his bucklers;
27 Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with flesh,
Because he covered his face with fatness, And gathered fat upon his loins,
28 he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become rubble.
And dwelt in desolated cities, In houses which no man inhabiteth, That are ready to become heaps.
29 He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not overspread the land.
He shall not be rich; his substance shall not endure, And his possessions shall not be extended upon 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.
He shall not escape from darkness, And the flame shall dry up his branches; Yea, by the breath of His mouth shall he be taken away.
31 Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward.
“Let not man trust in vanity! he will be deceived; For vanity shall be his recompense.
32 It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not flourish.
He shall come to his end before his time, And his branch shall not be green.
33 He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.
He shall shake off his unripe fruit like the vine, And shed his blossoms like the olive-tree.
34 For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
The house of the unrighteous shall be famished, And fire shall consume the tents of bribery.
35 They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb is pregnant with deceit.”
They conceive mischief, and bring forth misery, And their breast deviseth deceit.”
