Job 15
1 THEN answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2 Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
“Should a wise man answer with vain knowledge, and fill himself with the east wind?
3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?
Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or with speeches with which he can do no good?
4 Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.
Yes, you do away with fear, and hinder devotion before God.
5 For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.
6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.
7 Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?
“Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought out before the hills?
8 Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
Have you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
9 What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?
What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand which is not in us?
10 With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.
With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, much older than your father.
11 Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?
Are the consolations of God too small for you, even the word that is gentle toward you?
12 Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,
Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,
13 That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?
that you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?
14 What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
15 Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
Behold, he puts no trust in his holy ones. Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight;
16 How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?
how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!
17 I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;
“I will show you, listen to me; that which I have seen I will declare
18 Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:
(which wise men have told by their fathers, and have not hidden it;
19 Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.
to whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them):
20 The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.
the wicked man writhes in pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.
21 A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.
A sound of terrors is in his ears. In prosperity the destroyer will come on him.
22 He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.
He does not believe that he will return out of darkness. He is waited for by the sword.
23 He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
He wanders abroad for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’ He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24 Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
Distress and anguish make him afraid. They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
25 For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.
Because he has stretched out his hand against God, and behaves himself proudly against the Almighty,
26 He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:
he runs at him with a stiff neck, with the thick shields of his bucklers,
27 Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.
because he has covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat on his thighs.
28 And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.
He has lived in desolate cities, in houses which no one inhabited, which were ready to become heaps.
29 He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.
He will not be rich, neither will his substance continue, neither will their possessions be extended on 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 will not depart out of darkness. The flame will dry up his branches. He will go away by the breath of God’s mouth.
31 Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.
Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his reward.
32 It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.
It will be accomplished before his time. His branch will not be green.
33 He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.
He will shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and will cast off his flower as the olive tree.
34 For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.
For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.
They conceive mischief and produce iniquity. Their heart prepares deceit.”
