Job 15
1 And Eliphaz the Themanite, answered, and said:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 Will a wise man answer as if he were speaking in the wind, and fill his stomach with burning heat?
“Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill his belly with the hot east wind?
3 Thou reprovest him by words, who is not equal to thee, and thou speakest that which is not good for thee.
Should he argue with useless words or speeches that serve no purpose?
4 As much as is in thee, thou hast made void fear, and hast taken away prayers from before God.
But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him.
5 For thy iniquity hath taught thy mouth, and thou imitatest the tongue of blasphemers.
For your iniquity instructs your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.
6 Thy own mouth shall condemn thee, and not I: and thy own lips shall answer thee.
Your own mouth, not mine, condemns you; your own lips testify against you.
7 Art thou the first man that was born, or wast thou made before the hills?
Were you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?
8 Hast thou heard God’s counsel, and shall his wisdom be inferior to thee?
Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself?
9 What knowest thou that we are ignorant of? what dost thou understand that we know not?
What do you know that we do not? What do you understand that is not clear to us?
10 There are with us also aged and ancient men, much elder than thy fathers.
Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side— men much older than your father.
11 Is it a great matter that God should comfort thee? but thy wicked words hinder this.
Are the consolations of God not enough for you, even words spoken gently to you?
12 Why doth thy heart elevate thee, and why dost thou stare with thy eyes, as if they were thinking great things?
Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,
13 Why doth thy spirit swell against God, to utter such words out of thy mouth?
as you turn your spirit against God and pour such words from your mouth?
14 What is man that he should be without spot, and he that is born of a woman that he should appear just?
What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?
15 Behold among his saints none is unchangeable, and the heavens are not pure in his sight.
If God puts no trust in His holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes,
16 How much more is man abominable, and unprofitable, who drinketh iniquity like water?
how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?
17 I will shew thee, hear me: and I will tell thee what I have seen.
Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen,
18 Wise men confess and hide not their fathers.
what was declared by wise men and was not concealed from their fathers,
19 To whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger hath passed among them.
to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them.
20 The wicked man is proud all his days, and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain.
A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.
21 The sound of dread is always in his ears: and when there is peace, he always suspecteth treason.
Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.
22 He believeth not that he may return from darkness to light, looking round about for the sword on every side.
He despairs of his return from darkness; he is marked for the sword.
23 When he moveth himself to seek bread, he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
He wanders about as food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
24 Tribulation shall terrify him, and distress shall surround him, as a king that is prepared for the battle.
Distress and anguish terrify him, overwhelming him like a king poised to attack.
25 For he hath stretched out his hand against God, and hath strengthened himself against the Almighty.
For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty,
26 He hath run against him with his neck raised up, and is armed with a fat neck.
rushing headlong at Him with a thick, studded shield.
27 Fatness hath covered his face, and the fat hangeth down on his sides.
Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with flesh,
28 He hath dwelt in desolate cities, and in desert houses that are reduced into heaps.
he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become rubble.
29 He shall not be enriched, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he push his root in the earth.
He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not overspread the land.
30 He shall not depart out of darkness: the flame shall dry up his branches, and he shall be taken away by the breath of his own month.
He will not escape from the darkness; the flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away.
31 He shall not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he may be redeemed with any price.
Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward.
32 Before his days be full he shall perish: and his hands shall wither away.
It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not flourish.
33 He shall be blasted as a vine when its grapes are in the first flower, and as an olive tree that casteth its flower.
He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.
34 For the congregation of the hypocrite is barren, and fire shall devour their tabernacles, who love to take bribes.
For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
35 He hath conceived sorrow, and hath brought forth iniquity, and his womb prepareth deceits.
They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb is pregnant with deceit.”
