Job 15
1 But Eliphaz the Themanite, answering, said:
Then responded Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
2 Will a wise man answer as if he were speaking wind, and will he fill his stomach with fire?
Should, a wise man, answer unreal knowledge? or fill, with the east wind, his inner man?
3 You rebuke with words he who is not equal to you, and you speak what is not expedient for you,
Disputing with discourse that doth no good, or with speech, wherein is no profit?
4 to such an extent that, within yourself, you have expelled reverence and have taken away prayers from the presence of God.
But, thou, wouldst take away reverence, and wouldst attain unto meditation before GOD.
5 For your iniquity has mislead your mouth, and you imitate the tongue of blasphemers.
For thine own mouth would teach thine iniquity, and thou wouldst choose the tongue of the crafty.
6 Your own mouth will condemn you, not I; and your own lips will answer you.
Thine own mouth shall condemn thee, and, not I, And, thine own lips, shall testify against thee.
7 Are you the first man who was born, or were you formed before the hills?
The first of mankind, wast thou born? Or, before the hills, wast thou brought forth?
8 Have you heard the intentions of God, and will his wisdom be inferior to you?
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, about which we are ignorant? What do you understand that we do not know?
What knowest thou, that we know not? [What] understandest thou, and the same, is not with us?
10 There are with us both aged and ancient men, even more senior than your fathers.
Both hoary and venerable, are among us, one mightier than thy father in days!
11 Is it so important that God should console you? But your own depraved words prevent this.
Too small for thee, are the consolations of GOD? or a word spoken gently with thee?
12 Why does your heart exalt you, and why do you gaze with your eyes, as if thinking great things?
How doth thine own heart carry thee away, and how thine eyes do roll!
13 Why does your spirit stir against God, so as to utter such speeches 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 immaculate, and that he should appear just, having been born of woman?
What is a mortal, that he should be pure? or that righteous should be one born of a woman?
15 Behold, among his holy ones not one is immutable, and even the heavens are not pure in his sight.
Lo! in his holy ones, he putteth not confidence, and, the heavens, are not pure in his eyes:
16 How much more abominable and useless is the man who drinks as if from the water of iniquity?
How much less when one is detested and corrupt, a man who drinketh in—like water—perversity.
17 I will reveal to you, so listen to me; and I will explain to you what I have seen.
I will tell thee—hear me, Since this I have seen, I must needs declare it.
18 The wise acknowledge, and they do not leave behind, their fathers,
Which, wise men, tell, and deny not [that which is] from their fathers.
19 to whom alone the earth has been given, and no stranger passed among them.
To them alone, was the earth given, and no alien passed through their midst:
20 The impious is arrogant for all his days, and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain.
All the days of the lawless man, he, doth writhe with pain, and, the number of years, is hidden from the tyrant;
21 The sound of terror is always in his ears; and when there is peace, he always suspects treason.
A noise of dreadful things, is in his ears, In prosperity, the destroyer cometh upon him;
22 He does not believe that it is possible for him to be turned from darkness into the light, for he sees around him the sword on every side.
He hath no confidence to come back out of darkness, he, being destined to the power oft the sword;
23 When he moves himself to seek bread, he knows that the day of darkness has been prepared for his hand.
A wanderer, he, for bread, [saying] Where [is it]? He knoweth that, prepared by his own hand, is the day of darkness;
24 Tribulation will terrify him, and anguish will prevail over him, like a king who is being prepared to go to battle.
Distress and anguish shall startle him, It shall overpower him, like a king ready for the onset:
25 For he has extended his hand against God, and he has strengthened 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 He has rushed against him with his throat exposed, and he has been armed with a fat neck.
He used to run against him with uplifted neck, with the stout bosses of his bucklers;
27 Thickness has covered his face, and lard hangs down from his sides.
For he had covered his face with his fatness, and had gathered a superabundance on his loins;
28 He has lived in desolate cities and deserted houses, which have been turned into tombs.
And had inhabited demolished cities, houses, wherein men would not dwell, that were destined to become heaps.
29 He will not be enriched, nor will his basic necessities endure, nor will he establish his root in the earth.
He shall not be rich, nor shall his substance continue, neither shall their shadow stretch along on the earth;
30 He will not withdraw from the darkness; the flame will burn up his branches, and he will be defeated by the breath of his own mouth.
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 He will not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he could be redeemed at any price.
Let no one trust in him that—by vanity—is deceived, for, vanity, shall be his recompense;
32 Before his time is completed, he will pass into ruin and his hands will wither away.
Before his day, shall it be accomplished, with, his palm-top, not covered with leaves;
33 He will be wounded like a grapevine, when its cluster is in first flower, and like an olive tree that casts off its flower.
He shall wrong—like a vine—his sour grapes, and shall cast off—as an olive-tree—his blossom.
34 For the congregation of the hypocrites is fruitless, and fire will devour the tabernacles of those who love to accept money.
For, the family of the impious, is unfruitful, and, a fire, hath devoured the tents of bribery;
35 He has conceived sorrow, and he has brought forth iniquity, and his womb prepares deceit.
Conceiving mischief, and bringing forth iniquity, yea, their inmost soul, prepareth deceit.
