Job 15
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
And Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said,
2 “Would a wise man answer with such empty ‘knowledge’ that is just a lot of hot air?
Will a wise man make answer with knowledge of no value, or will he give birth to the east wind?
3 He wouldn't argue with unprofitable speeches using words that do no good.
Will he make arguments with words in which is no profit, and with sayings which have no value?
4 But you are doing away with the fear of God, and destroying communion with him.
Truly, you make the fear of God without effect, so that the time of quiet worship before God is made less by your outcry.
5 It's your sins that are doing the talking, and you are choosing deceptive words.
For your mouth is guided by your sin, and you have taken the tongue of the false for yourself.
6 Your own mouth is condemning you, not me; your own lips are testifying against you.
It is by your mouth, even yours, that you are judged to be in the wrong, and not by me; and your lips give witness against you.
7 Were you the very first person to be born? Were you born before the hills were created?
Were you the first man to come into the world? or did you come into being before the hills?
8 Were you there listening in God's council? Does wisdom only belong to you?
Were you present at the secret meeting of God? and have you taken all wisdom for yourself?
9 What do you know that we don't? What do you understand that we don't?
What knowledge have you which we have not? is there anything in your mind which is not in ours?
10 We have among us old, gray-haired people much older than your father!
With us are men who are grey-haired and full of years, much older than your father.
11 Are the comforts God provides too little for you? Are God's gentle words not enough for you?
Are the comforts of God not enough for you, and the gentle word which was said to you?
12 Why do you let yourself be carried away by your emotions?
Why is your heart uncontrolled, and why are your eyes lifted up;
13 Why do your eyes flash in anger that you turn against God and let yourself speak this way?
So that you are turning your spirit against God, and letting such words go out of your mouth?
14 Who can say they are clean? Which human being can say that they do what is right?
What is man, that he may be clean? and how may the son of woman be upright?
15 Look, God doesn't even trust his angels—even the heavenly beings are not pure in his sight!
Truly, he puts no faith in his holy ones, and the heavens are not clean in his eyes;
16 How much less pure are those who are unclean and corrupt, drinking in sin like water!
How much less one who is disgusting and unclean, a man who takes in evil like water!
17 If you are ready to listen to me, I will show you. I will explain my insights.
Take note and give ear to my words; and I will say what I have seen:
18 This is what wise men have said, confirmed by their ancestors,
(The things which wise men have got from their fathers, and have not kept secret from us;
19 those who to whom alone the land was given before foreigners ever were there.
For only to them was the land given, and no strange people were among them: )
20 The wicked writhe in pain all their lives, through all the years these oppressors survive.
The evil man is in pain all his days, and the number of the years stored up for the cruel is small.
21 Terrifying sounds fill their ears; even when they think they're safe, the destroyer will attack them.
A sound of fear is in his ears; in time of peace destruction will come on him:
22 They don't believe they will escape the darkness—they know a sword is waiting for them.
He has no hope of coming safe out of the dark, and his fate will be the sword;
23 They wander around looking for food, asking ‘Where is it?’ They know that their day of darkness is close at hand.
He is wandering about in search of bread, saying, Where is it? and he is certain that the day of trouble is ready for him:
24 Misery and torment overwhelm them like a king preparing for battle.
He is greatly in fear of the dark day, trouble and pain overcome him:
25 They shake their fists in God's face, defiantly challenging the Almighty,
Because his hand is stretched out against God, and his heart is lifted up against the Ruler of all,
26 insolently attacking him with their shields.
Running against him like a man of war, covered by his thick breastplate; even like a king ready for the fight,
27 They have become fat in their rebellion, their bellies bloated with fat.
Because his face is covered with fat, and his body has become thick;
28 But their cities will become desolate; they will live in abandoned houses that are crumbling into ruins.
And he has made his resting-place in the towns which have been pulled down, in houses where no man had a right to be, whose fate was to become masses of broken walls.
29 They will lose their riches, their wealth will not endure, their possessions will not spread over the earth.
He does not get wealth for himself, and is unable to keep what he has got; the heads of his grain are not bent down to the earth.
30 They will not escape from the darkness. Like a tree whose shoots are burned up in a forest fire, the breath of God will blow him away.
He does not come out of the dark; his branches are burned by the flame, and the wind takes away his bud.
31 They should not trust in things that are worthless, for their reward will be worthless.
Let him not put his hope in what is false, falling into error: for he will get deceit as his reward.
32 This will be paid in full before their time has come. They are like tree branches that wither,
His branch is cut off before its time, and his leaf is no longer green.
33 like vines that lose their unripe grapes, or olive trees that lose their flowers.
He is like a vine whose grapes do not come to full growth, or an olive-tree dropping its flowers.
34 For those who reject God are barren, and fire will burn up the homes of those who love bribes.
For the band of the evil-doers gives no fruit, and the tents of those who give wrong decisions for reward are burned with fire.
35 They plan trouble and produce evil, giving birth to deception.”
Evil has made them with child, and they give birth to trouble; and the fruit of their body is shame for themselves.
