Job 15
1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
But Eliphaz the Themanite, answering, said:
2 Should a wise man answer with arguments of wind, Or fill his bosom with the east wind?
Will a wise man answer as if he were speaking wind, and will he fill his stomach with fire?
3 Should he argue with speech that helpeth him not, And with words which do not profit him?
You rebuke with words he who is not equal to you, and you speak what is not expedient for you,
4 Behold, thou makest the fear of God a vain thing, And discouragest prayer before him.
to such an extent that, within yourself, you have expelled reverence and have taken away prayers from the presence of God.
5 Yea, thy own mouth proclaimeth thy iniquity, Though thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
For your iniquity has mislead your mouth, and you imitate the tongue of blasphemers.
6 Thy own mouth condemneth thee, and not I; Thy own lips testify against thee.
Your own mouth will condemn you, not I; and your own lips will answer you.
7 Art thou the first man that was born? Wast thou formed before the hills?
Are you the first man who was born, or were you formed before the hills?
8 Hast thou listened in the council of God, And drawn all wisdom to thyself?
Have you heard the intentions of God, and will his wisdom be inferior to you?
9 What dost thou know, that we know not also? What dost thou understand, that is a secret to us?
What do you know, about which we are ignorant? What do you understand that we do not know?
10 With us are the aged and hoary-headed; Much older than thy father.
There are with us both aged and ancient men, even more senior than your fathers.
11 Dost thou despise the consolations of God, And words so full of kindness to thee?
Is it so important that God should console you? But your own depraved words prevent this.
12 Why hath thy passion taken possession of thee? And why this winking of thine eyes?
Why does your heart exalt you, and why do you gaze with your eyes, as if thinking great things?
13 For against God hast thou turned thy spirit, And uttered such words from thy mouth.
Why does your spirit stir against God, so as to utter such speeches from your mouth?
14 What is man, that he should be pure, And he that is born of woman, that he should be innocent?
What is man that he should be immaculate, and that he should appear just, having been born of woman?
15 Behold, He putteth no trust in his ministering spirits, And the heavens are not pure in his sight;
Behold, among his holy ones not one is immutable, and even the heavens are not pure in his sight.
16 Much less, abominable and polluted man, Who drinketh iniquity as water.
How much more abominable and useless is the man who drinks as if from the water of iniquity?
17 Hear me, and I will show thee, And that which I have seen will I declare;
I will reveal to you, so listen to me; and I will explain to you what I have seen.
18 Which the wise men have told, And not kept concealed, as received from their fathers;
The wise acknowledge, and they do not leave behind, their fathers,
19 To whom alone the land was given, And among whom not a stranger wandered.
to whom alone the earth has been given, and no stranger passed among them.
20 “All his days the wicked man is in pain; Yea, all the years, that are laid up for the oppressor.
The impious is arrogant for all his days, and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain.
21 A fearful sound is in his ears; In peace the destroyer cometh upon him.
The sound of terror is always in his ears; and when there is peace, he always suspects treason.
22 He hath no hope that he shall escape from darkness; He is set apart for the sword.
He does not believe that it is possible for him to be turned from darkness into the light, for he sees around him the sword on every side.
23 He wandereth about, seeking bread; He knoweth that a day of darkness is at hand.
When he moves himself to seek bread, he knows that the day of darkness has been prepared for his hand.
24 Distress and anguish fill him with dread; They prevail against him like a king ready for the battle.
Tribulation will terrify him, and anguish will prevail over him, like a king who is being prepared to go to battle.
25 Because he stretched forth his hand against God, And bade defiance to the Almighty,
For he has extended his hand against God, and he has strengthened himself against the Almighty.
26 And ran against him with outstretched neck, With the thick bosses of his bucklers;
He has rushed against him with his throat exposed, and he has been armed with a fat neck.
27 Because he covered his face with fatness, And gathered fat upon his loins,
Thickness has covered his face, and lard hangs down from his sides.
28 And dwelt in desolated cities, In houses which no man inhabiteth, That are ready to become heaps.
He has lived in desolate cities and deserted houses, which have been turned into tombs.
29 He shall not be rich; his substance shall not endure, And his possessions shall not be extended upon the earth.
He will not be enriched, nor will his basic necessities endure, nor will he establish his root in the earth.
30 He shall not escape from darkness, And the flame shall dry up his branches; Yea, by the breath of His mouth shall he be taken away.
He will not withdraw from the darkness; the flame will burn up his branches, and he will be defeated by the breath of his own mouth.
31 “Let not man trust in vanity! he will be deceived; For vanity shall be his recompense.
He will not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he could be redeemed at any price.
32 He shall come to his end before his time, And his branch shall not be green.
Before his time is completed, he will pass into ruin and his hands will wither away.
33 He shall shake off his unripe fruit like the vine, And shed his blossoms like the olive-tree.
He will be wounded like a grapevine, when its cluster is in first flower, and like an olive tree that casts off its flower.
34 The house of the unrighteous shall be famished, And fire shall consume the tents of bribery.
For the congregation of the hypocrites is fruitless, and fire will devour the tabernacles of those who love to accept money.
35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth misery, And their breast deviseth deceit.”
He has conceived sorrow, and he has brought forth iniquity, and his womb prepares deceit.
