Job 15
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2 “Should a wise man answer with useless knowledge and fill himself 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 with which he can do no good?
Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or with speeches with which he can do no good?
4 Indeed, you diminish respect for God; you obstruct devotion to him,
Yes, you do away with fear, and hinder devotion before God.
5 for your iniquity teaches your mouth; you choose to have the tongue of a crafty man.
For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.
6 Your own mouth condemns you, not mine; indeed, your own lips testify against you.
Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.
7 Are you the first man that was born? Were you brought into existence before the hills?
“Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought out before the hills?
8 Have you heard the secret knowledge of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
Have you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
9 What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not also in us?
What do you know that we don’t know? What do you understand which is not in us?
10 With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men who are much older than your father.
With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, much older than your father.
11 Are the consolations of God too small for you, the words that are gentle toward you?
Are the consolations of God too small for you, even the word that is gentle toward you?
12 Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,
Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,
13 so that you turn your spirit against God and bring out such words from your 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? What is he who 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 See, God puts no trust even in his holy ones; indeed, 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 less clean is one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!
how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!
17 I will show you; listen to me; I will announce to you the things I have seen,
“I will show you, listen to me; that which I have seen I will declare
18 the things that wise men have passed down from their fathers, the things that their ancestors did not hide.
(which wise men have told by their fathers, and have not hidden it;
19 These were their ancestors, to whom alone the land was given, and among whom no stranger ever passed.
to whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them):
20 The wicked man twists in pain all his days, the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor to suffer.
the wicked man writhes in pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.
21 A sound of terrors is in his ears; while he is in prosperity, the destroyer will come upon him.
A sound of terrors is in his ears. In prosperity the destroyer will come on him.
22 He does not think that he will return out of darkness; the sword waits for him.
He doesn’t believe that he will return out of darkness. He is waited for by the sword.
23 He goes to various places for bread, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that the day of darkness is at hand.
He wanders abroad for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’ He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24 Distress and anguish make him afraid; they prevail against him, as a king ready for battle.
Distress and anguish make him afraid. They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
25 Because he has reached out with his hand against God and has behaved proudly against the Almighty,
Because he has stretched out his hand against God, and behaves himself proudly against the Almighty,
26 this wicked man runs at God with a stiff neck, with a thick shield.
he runs at him with a stiff neck, with the thick shields of his bucklers,
27 This is true, even though he has covered his face with his fat and gathered fat on his loins,
because he has covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat on his thighs.
28 and has lived in desolate cities; in houses which no man inhabits now and which were ready to become heaps.
He has lived in desolate cities, in houses which no one inhabited, which were ready to become heaps.
29 He will not be rich; his wealth will not last and his possessions will not spread over the land.
He will not be rich, neither will his substance continue, neither will their possessions be extended on the earth.
30 He will not depart out of darkness; a flame will dry up his stalks; at the breath of God's mouth he will 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 him not trust in useless things, deceiving himself; for uselessness will be his reward.
Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his reward.
32 It will happen before his time should come to die; his branch will not be green.
It will be accomplished before his time. His branch will not be green.
33 He will drop his unripe grapes like a grapevine; he will cast off his flowers like the olive tree.
He will shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and will cast off his flower as the olive tree.
34 For the company of godless people will be barren; fire will consume their tents of bribery.
For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
35 They conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity; their womb conceives deceit.”
They conceive mischief and produce iniquity. Their heart prepares deceit.”
