Job 15
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
2 “Would a wise man answer with such empty ‘knowledge’ that is just a lot of hot air?
Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
3 He wouldn't argue with unprofitable speeches using words that do no good.
Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?
4 But you are doing away with the fear of God, and destroying communion with him.
Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before El.
5 It's your sins that are doing the talking, and you are choosing deceptive words.
For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
6 Your own mouth is condemning you, not me; your own lips are testifying against you.
Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
7 Were you the very first person to be born? Were you born before the hills were created?
Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?
8 Were you there listening in God's council? Does wisdom only belong to you?
Hast thou heard the secret of Eloah? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
9 What do you know that we don't? What do you understand that we don't?
What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?
10 We have among us old, gray-haired people much older than your father!
With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.
11 Are the comforts God provides too little for you? Are God's gentle words not enough for you?
Are the consolations of El small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?
12 Why do you let yourself be carried away by your emotions?
Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,
13 Why do your eyes flash in anger that you turn against God and let yourself speak this way?
That thou turnest thy spirit against El, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?
14 Who can say they are clean? Which human being can say that they do what is right?
What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
15 Look, God doesn't even trust his angels—even the heavenly beings are not pure in his sight!
Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
16 How much less pure are those who are unclean and corrupt, drinking in sin like water!
How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?
17 If you are ready to listen to me, I will show you. I will explain my insights.
I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;
18 This is what wise men have said, confirmed by their ancestors,
Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:
19 those who to whom alone the land was given before foreigners ever were there.
Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.
20 The wicked writhe in pain all their lives, through all the years these oppressors survive.
The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.
21 Terrifying sounds fill their ears; even when they think they're safe, the destroyer will attack them.
A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.
22 They don't believe they will escape the darkness—they know a sword is waiting for them.
He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of 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 wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24 Misery and torment overwhelm them like a king preparing for battle.
Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
25 They shake their fists in God's face, defiantly challenging the Almighty,
For he stretcheth out his hand against El, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.
26 insolently attacking him with their shields.
He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:
27 They have become fat in their rebellion, their bellies bloated with fat.
Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.
28 But their cities will become desolate; they will live in abandoned houses that are crumbling into ruins.
And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.
29 They will lose their riches, their wealth will not endure, their possessions will not spread over the earth.
He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon 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 shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.
31 They should not trust in things that are worthless, for their reward will be worthless.
Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.
32 This will be paid in full before their time has come. They are like tree branches that wither,
It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.
33 like vines that lose their unripe grapes, or olive trees that lose their flowers.
He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.
34 For those who reject God are barren, and fire will burn up the homes of those who love bribes.
For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.
35 They plan trouble and produce evil, giving birth to deception.”
They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.
