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