Job 15
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
Then responded 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 unreal knowledge? or fill, with the east wind, his inner man?
3 Should he argue with useless words or speeches that serve no purpose?
Disputing with discourse that doth no good, or with speech, wherein is no profit?
4 But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him.
But, thou, wouldst take away reverence, and wouldst attain unto meditation before GOD.
5 For your iniquity instructs your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.
For thine own mouth would teach thine iniquity, and thou wouldst choose the tongue of the crafty.
6 Your own mouth, not mine, condemns you; your own lips testify against you.
Thine own mouth shall condemn thee, and, not I, And, thine own lips, shall testify against thee.
7 Were you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?
The first of mankind, wast thou born? Or, before the hills, wast thou brought forth?
8 Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself?
In the secret council of GOD, hast thou been wont to hearken? Or canst thou attain for thyself unto wisdom?
9 What do you know that we do not? What do you understand that is not clear to us?
What knowest thou, that we know not? [What] understandest thou, and the same, is not with us?
10 Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side— men much older than your father.
Both hoary and venerable, are among us, one mightier than thy father in days!
11 Are the consolations of God not enough for you, even words spoken gently to you?
Too small for thee, are the consolations of GOD? or a word spoken gently with thee?
12 Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,
How doth thine own heart carry thee away, and how thine eyes do roll!
13 as you turn your spirit against God and pour such words from your mouth?
For thy spirit, replieth against GOD, and thou bringest forth—out of thy mouth—words!
14 What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?
What is a mortal, that he should be pure? or that righteous should be one born of a woman?
15 If God puts no trust in His holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes,
Lo! in his holy ones, he putteth not confidence, and, the heavens, are not pure in his eyes:
16 how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?
How much less when one is detested and corrupt, a man who drinketh in—like water—perversity.
17 Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen,
I will tell thee—hear me, Since this I have seen, I must needs declare it.
18 what was declared by wise men and was not concealed from their fathers,
Which, wise men, tell, and deny not [that which is] from their fathers.
19 to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them.
To them alone, was the earth given, and no alien passed through 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 lawless man, he, doth writhe with pain, and, the number of years, is hidden from the tyrant;
21 Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.
A noise of dreadful things, is in his ears, In prosperity, the destroyer cometh upon him;
22 He despairs of his return from darkness; he is marked for the sword.
He hath no confidence to come back out of darkness, he, being destined to the power oft the sword;
23 He wanders about as food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
A wanderer, he, for bread, [saying] Where [is it]? He knoweth that, prepared by his own hand, is the day of darkness;
24 Distress and anguish terrify him, overwhelming him like a king poised to attack.
Distress and anguish shall startle him, It shall overpower him, like a king ready for the onset:
25 For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty,
Because he had stretched out—against GOD—his hand, and, against the Almighty, had been wont to behave himself proudly;
26 rushing headlong at Him with a thick, studded shield.
He used to run against him with uplifted neck, with the stout bosses of his bucklers;
27 Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with flesh,
For he had covered his face with his fatness, and had gathered a superabundance on his loins;
28 he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become rubble.
And had inhabited demolished cities, houses, wherein men would not dwell, that were destined 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, nor shall his substance continue, neither shall their shadow stretch along 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.
He shall not depart out of darkness, his young branch, shall the flame dry up, and he shall depart, by the breath of his own mouth!
31 Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward.
Let no one trust in him that—by vanity—is deceived, for, vanity, shall be his recompense;
32 It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not flourish.
Before his day, shall it be accomplished, with, his palm-top, not covered with leaves;
33 He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.
He shall wrong—like a vine—his sour grapes, and shall cast off—as an olive-tree—his blossom.
34 For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
For, the family of the impious, is unfruitful, and, a fire, hath devoured the tents of bribery;
35 They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb is pregnant with deceit.”
Conceiving mischief, and bringing forth iniquity, yea, their inmost soul, prepareth deceit.
