< Job 15 >

1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
And Eliphaz the Themanite, answered, and said:
2 Should a wise man make answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
Will a wise man answer as if he were speaking in the wind, and fill his stomach with burning heat?
3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?
Thou reprovest him by words, who is not equal to thee, and thou speakest that which is not good for thee.
4 Yea, thou doest away with fear, and impairest devotion before God.
As much as is in thee, thou hast made void fear, and hast taken away prayers from before God.
5 For thine iniquity teacheth thy mouth, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
For thy iniquity hath taught thy mouth, and thou imitatest the tongue of blasphemers.
6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I; yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
Thy own mouth shall condemn thee, and not I: and thy own lips shall answer thee.
7 Art thou the first man that was born? Or wast thou brought forth before the hills?
Art thou the first man that was born, or wast thou made before the hills?
8 Dost thou hearken in the council of God? And dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
Hast thou heard God’s counsel, and shall his wisdom be inferior to thee?
9 What knowest thou, that we know not? What understandest thou, which is not in us?
What knowest thou that we are ignorant of? what dost thou understand that we know not?
10 With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, much older than thy father.
There are with us also aged and ancient men, much elder than thy fathers.
11 Are the consolations of God too small for thee, and the word that dealeth gently with thee?
Is it a great matter that God should comfort thee? but thy wicked words hinder this.
12 Why doth thy heart carry thee away? And why do thine eyes wink?
Why doth thy heart elevate thee, and why dost thou stare with thy eyes, as if they were thinking great things?
13 That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth.
Why doth thy spirit swell against God, to utter such words out of thy mouth?
14 What is man, that he should be clean? And he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
What is man that he should be without spot, and he that is born of a woman that he should appear just?
15 Behold, He putteth no trust in His holy ones; yea, the heavens are not clean in His sight.
Behold among his saints none is unchangeable, and the heavens are not pure in his sight.
16 How much less one that is abominable and impure, man who drinketh iniquity like water!
How much more is man abominable, and unprofitable, who drinketh iniquity like water?
17 I will tell thee, hear thou me; and that which I have seen I will declare —
I will shew thee, hear me: and I will tell thee what I have seen.
18 Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it;
Wise men confess and hide not their fathers.
19 Unto whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them.
To whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger hath passed among them.
20 The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.
The wicked man is proud all his days, and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain.
21 A sound of terrors is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.
The sound of dread is always in his ears: and when there is peace, he always suspecteth treason.
22 He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.
He believeth not that he may return from darkness to light, looking round about for the sword on every side.
23 He wandereth abroad for bread: 'Where is it?' He knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
When he moveth himself to seek bread, he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24 Distress and anguish overwhelm him; they prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
Tribulation shall terrify him, and distress shall surround him, as a king that is prepared for the battle.
25 Because he hath stretched out his hand against God, and behaveth himself proudly against the Almighty;
For he hath stretched out his hand against God, and hath strengthened himself against the Almighty.
26 He runneth upon him with a stiff neck, with the thick bosses of his bucklers.
He hath run against him with his neck raised up, and is armed with a fat neck.
27 Because he hath covered his face with his fatness, and made collops of fat on his loins;
Fatness hath covered his face, and the fat hangeth down on his sides.
28 And he hath dwelt in desolate cities, in houses which no man would inhabit, which were ready to become heaps.
He hath dwelt in desolate cities, and in desert houses that are reduced into heaps.
29 He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall their produce bend to the earth.
He shall not be enriched, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he push his root in the earth.
30 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.
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.
31 Let him not trust in vanity, deceiving himself; for vanity shall be his recompense.
He shall not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he may be redeemed with any price.
32 It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be leafy.
Before his days be full he shall perish: and his hands shall wither away.
33 He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.
He shall be blasted as a vine when its grapes are in the first flower, and as an olive tree that casteth its flower.
34 For the company of the godless shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tents of bribery.
For the congregation of the hypocrite is barren, and fire shall devour their tabernacles, who love to take bribes.
35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity, and their belly prepareth deceit.
He hath conceived sorrow, and hath brought forth iniquity, and his womb prepareth deceits.

< Job 15 >