Job 15
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
And Eliphaz the Temanite answers and says:
2 “Would a wise man answer with such empty ‘knowledge’ that is just a lot of hot air?
“Does a wise man answer [with] vain knowledge? And fill his belly [with] an east wind?
3 He wouldn't argue with unprofitable speeches using words that do no good.
To reason with a word not useful? And speeches—no profit in them?
4 But you are doing away with the fear of God, and destroying communion with him.
Indeed, you make reverence void, and diminish meditation before God.
5 It's your sins that are doing the talking, and you are choosing deceptive words.
For your mouth teaches your iniquity, And you choose the tongue of the cunning.
6 Your own mouth is condemning you, not me; your own lips are testifying against you.
Your mouth declares you wicked, and not I, And your lips testify against you.
7 Were you the very first person to be born? Were you born before the hills were created?
Are you the first man born? And were you formed before the heights?
8 Were you there listening in God's council? Does wisdom only belong to you?
Do you hear of the secret counsel of God? And withdraw wisdom to you?
9 What do you know that we don't? What do you understand that we don't?
What have you known, and we do not know? [What] do you understand, and it is not with us?
10 We have among us old, gray-haired people much older than your father!
Both the gray-headed And the very aged [are] among us—Greater than your father [in] days.
11 Are the comforts God provides too little for you? Are God's gentle words not enough for you?
Are the comforts of God too few for you? And a gentle word [is] with you,
12 Why do you let yourself be carried away by your emotions?
Why does your heart take you away? And why are your eyes high?
13 Why do your eyes flash in anger that you turn against God and let yourself speak this way?
Do you turn your spirit against God? And have brought out words from 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 is pure, And that he is righteous, one born of woman?
15 Look, God doesn't even trust his angels—even the heavenly beings are not pure in his sight!
Behold, He puts no credence in His holy ones, And the heavens have not been pure in His eyes.
16 How much less pure are those who are unclean and corrupt, drinking in sin like water!
Also—surely abominable and filthy Is man drinking perverseness as water.
17 If you are ready to listen to me, I will show you. I will explain my insights.
I show you—listen to me—And this I have seen and declare,
18 This is what wise men have said, confirmed by their ancestors,
Which the wise declare—And have not hid—from their fathers.
19 those who to whom alone the land was given before foreigners ever were there.
To them alone was the land given, And a stranger did not pass over into their midst:
20 The wicked writhe in pain all their lives, through all the years these oppressors survive.
All [the] days of the wicked he is paining himself, And few years have been laid up for the terrible one.
21 Terrifying sounds fill their ears; even when they think they're safe, the destroyer will attack them.
A fearful voice [is] in his ears, In peace a destroyer comes to him.
22 They don't believe they will escape the darkness—they know a sword is waiting for them.
He does not believe to return from darkness, And he watches for 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 for bread: Where [is] it? He has known that ready at his hand Is a day of darkness.
24 Misery and torment overwhelm them like a king preparing for battle.
Adversity and distress terrify him, They prevail over him as a king ready for a boaster.
25 They shake their fists in God's face, defiantly challenging the Almighty,
For he stretched out his hand against God, And against the Mighty he makes himself mighty.
26 insolently attacking him with their shields.
He runs to Him with a neck, With thick bosses of his shields.
27 They have become fat in their rebellion, their bellies bloated with fat.
For he has covered his face with his fat, And makes vigor over [his] confidence.
28 But their cities will become desolate; they will live in abandoned houses that are crumbling into ruins.
And he inhabits cities cut off, houses not dwelt in, That have been ready to become heaps.
29 They will lose their riches, their wealth will not endure, their possessions will not spread over the earth.
He is not rich, nor does his wealth rise, Nor does he stretch out their continuance on 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 turn aside from darkness, A flame dries up his tender branch, And he turns aside at the breath of His mouth!
31 They should not trust in things that are worthless, for their reward will be worthless.
Do not let him put credence in vanity, He has been deceived, For vanity is his exchange.
32 This will be paid in full before their time has come. They are like tree branches that wither,
It is not completed in his day, And his bending branch is not green.
33 like vines that lose their unripe grapes, or olive trees that lose their flowers.
He shakes off his unripe fruit as a vine, And casts off his blossom as an olive.
34 For those who reject God are barren, and fire will burn up the homes of those who love bribes.
For the company of the profane [is] barren, And fire has consumed tents of bribery.
35 They plan trouble and produce evil, giving birth to deception.”
To conceive misery, and to bear iniquity, Even their heart prepares deceit.”
