Job 15
1 And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: —
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 Doth a wise man answer [with] vain knowledge? And fill [with] an east wind his belly?
“Would a wise man answer with such empty ‘knowledge’ that is just a lot of hot air?
3 To reason with a word not useful? And speeches — no profit in them?
He wouldn't argue with unprofitable speeches using words that do no good.
4 Yea, thou dost make reverence void, And dost diminish meditation before God.
But you are doing away with the fear of God, and destroying communion with him.
5 For thy mouth teacheth thine iniquity, And thou chooseth the tongue of the subtile.
It's your sins that are doing the talking, and you are choosing deceptive words.
6 Thy mouth declareth thee wicked, and not I, And thy lips testify against thee.
Your own mouth is condemning you, not me; your own lips are testifying against you.
7 The first man art thou born? And before the heights wast thou formed?
Were you the very first person to be born? Were you born before the hills were created?
8 Of the secret counsel of God dost thou hear? And withdrawest thou unto thee wisdom?
Were you there listening in God's council? Does wisdom only belong to you?
9 What hast thou known, and we know not? Understandest thou — and it is not with us?
What do you know that we don't? What do you understand that we don't?
10 Both the gray-headed And the very aged [are] among us — Greater than thy father [in] days.
We have among us old, gray-haired people much older than your father!
11 Too few for thee are the comforts of God? And a gentle word [is] with thee,
Are the comforts God provides too little for you? Are God's gentle words not enough for you?
12 What — doth thine heart take thee away? And what — are thine eyes high?
Why do you let yourself be carried away by your emotions?
13 For thou turnest against God thy spirit? And hast brought out words from 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 is pure, And that he is righteous, one born of woman?
Who can say they are clean? Which human being can say that they do what is right?
15 Lo, in His holy ones He putteth no credence, And the heavens have not been pure in His eyes.
Look, God doesn't even trust his angels—even the heavenly beings are not pure in his sight!
16 Also — surely abominable and filthy Is man drinking as water perverseness.
How much less pure are those who are unclean and corrupt, drinking in sin like water!
17 I shew thee — hearken to me — And this I have seen and declare:
If you are ready to listen to me, I will show you. I will explain my insights.
18 Which the wise declare — And have not hid — from their fathers.
This is what wise men have said, confirmed by their ancestors,
19 To them alone was the land given, And a stranger passed not over into their midst:
those who to whom alone the land was given before foreigners ever were there.
20 'All days of the wicked he is paining himself, And few years have been laid up for the terrible one.
The wicked writhe in pain all their lives, through all the years these oppressors survive.
21 A fearful voice [is] in his ears, In peace doth a destroyer come to him.
Terrifying sounds fill their ears; even when they think they're safe, the destroyer will attack them.
22 He believeth not to return from darkness, And watched [is] he for the sword.
They don't believe they will escape the darkness—they know a sword is waiting for them.
23 He is wandering for bread — 'Where [is] it?' He hath known that ready at his hand Is a day of darkness.
They wander around looking for food, asking ‘Where is it?’ They know that their day of darkness is close at hand.
24 Terrify him do adversity and distress, They prevail over him As a king ready for a boaster.
Misery and torment overwhelm them like a king preparing for battle.
25 For he stretched out against God his hand, And against the Mighty he maketh himself mighty.
They shake their fists in God's face, defiantly challenging the Almighty,
26 He runneth unto Him with a neck, With thick bosses of his shields.
insolently attacking him with their shields.
27 For he hath covered his face with his fat, And maketh vigour over [his] confidence.
They have become fat in their rebellion, their bellies bloated with fat.
28 And he inhabiteth cities cut off, houses not dwelt in, That have been ready to become heaps.
But their cities will become desolate; they will live in abandoned houses that are crumbling into ruins.
29 He is not rich, nor doth his wealth rise, Nor doth he stretch out on earth their continuance.
They will lose their riches, their wealth will not endure, their possessions will not spread over the earth.
30 He turneth not aside from darkness, His tender branch doth a flame dry up, And he turneth aside at the breath of His mouth!
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 him not put credence in vanity, He hath been deceived, For vanity is his recompence.
They should not trust in things that are worthless, for their reward will be worthless.
32 Not in his day is it completed, And his bending branch is not green.
This will be paid in full before their time has come. They are like tree branches that wither,
33 He shaketh off as a vine his unripe fruit, And casteth off as an olive his blossom.
like vines that lose their unripe grapes, or olive trees that lose their flowers.
34 For the company of the profane [is] gloomy, And fire hath consumed tents of bribery.
For those who reject God are barren, and fire will burn up the homes of those who love bribes.
35 To conceive misery, and to bear iniquity, Even their heart doth prepare deceit.
They plan trouble and produce evil, giving birth to deception.”
