Job 15
1 Respondens autem Eliphaz Themanites, dixit:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2 Numquid sapiens respondebit quasi ventum loquens, et implebit ardore stomachum suum?
“Should a wise man answer with vain knowledge, and fill himself with the east wind?
3 Arguis verbis eum, qui non est æqualis tibi, et loqueris quod tibi non expedit.
Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or with speeches with which he can do no good?
4 Quantum in te est evacuasti timorem, et tulisti preces coram Deo.
Yes, you do away with fear, and hinder devotion before God.
5 Docuit enim iniquitas tua os tuum, et imitaris linguam blasphemantium.
For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.
6 Condemnabit te os tuum, et non ego: et labia tua respondebunt tibi.
Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.
7 Numquid primus homo tu natus es, et ante colles formatus?
“Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought out before the hills?
8 Numquid consilium Dei audisti, et inferior te erit eius sapientia?
Have you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
9 Quid nosti quod ignoremus? quid intelligis quod nesciamus?
What do you know that we don’t know? What do you understand which is not in us?
10 Et senes, et antiqui sunt in nobis multo vetustiores quam patres tui.
With us are both the grey-headed and the very aged men, much older than your father.
11 Numquid grande est ut consoletur te Deus? sed verba tua prava hoc prohibent.
Are the consolations of God too small for you, even the word that is gentle towards you?
12 Quid te elevat cor tuum, et quasi magna cogitans, attonitos habes oculos?
Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,
13 Quid tumet contra Deum spiritus tuus, ut proferas de ore tuo huiuscemodi sermones?
that you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?
14 Quid est homo, ut immaculatus sit, et ut iustus appareat natus de muliere?
What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
15 Ecce inter sanctos eius nemo immutabilis, et cæli non sunt mundi in conspectu eius.
Behold, he puts no trust in his holy ones. Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight;
16 Quanto magis abominabilis et inutilis homo, qui bibit quasi aquam iniquitatem?
how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!
17 Ostendam tibi, audi me: quod vidi narrabo tibi.
“I will show you, listen to me; that which I have seen I will declare
18 Sapientes confitentur, et non abscondunt patres suos.
(which wise men have told by their fathers, and have not hidden it;
19 Quibus solis data est terra, et non transivit alienus per eos.
to whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed amongst them):
20 Cunctis diebus suis impius superbit, et numerus annorum incertus est tyrannidis eius.
the wicked man writhes in pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.
21 Sonitus terroris semper in auribus illius: et cum pax sit, ille semper insidias suspicatur.
A sound of terrors is in his ears. In prosperity the destroyer will come on him.
22 Non credit quod reverti possit de tenebris ad lucem, circumspectans undique gladium.
He doesn’t believe that he will return out of darkness. He is waited for by the sword.
23 Cum se moverit ad quærendum panem, novit quod paratus sit in manu eius tenebrarum dies.
He wanders abroad for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’ He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24 Terrebit eum tribulatio, et angustia vallabit eum, sicut regem, qui præparatur ad prælium.
Distress and anguish make him afraid. They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
25 Tetendit enim adversus Deum manum suam, et contra Omnipotentem roboratus est.
Because he has stretched out his hand against God, and behaves himself proudly against the Almighty,
26 Cucurrit adversus eum erecto collo, et pingui cervice armatus est.
he runs at him with a stiff neck, with the thick shields of his bucklers,
27 Operuit faciem eius crassitudo, et de lateribus eius arvina dependet.
because he has covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat on his thighs.
28 Habitavit in civitatibus desolatis, et in domibus desertis, quæ in tumulos sunt redactæ.
He has lived in desolate cities, in houses which no one inhabited, which were ready to become heaps.
29 Non ditabitur, nec perseverabit substantia eius, nec mittet in terra radicem suam.
He will not be rich, neither will his substance continue, neither will their possessions be extended on the earth.
30 Non recedet de tenebris: ramos eius arefaciet flamma, et auferetur spiritu oris sui.
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 Non credet frustra errore deceptus, quod aliquo pretio redimendus sit.
Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his reward.
32 Antequam dies eius impleantur, peribit: et manus eius arescent.
It will be accomplished before his time. His branch will not be green.
33 Lædetur quasi vinea in primo flore botrus eius, et quasi oliva proiiciens florem suum.
He will shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and will cast off his flower as the olive tree.
34 Congregatio enim hypocritæ sterilis, et ignis devorabit tabernacula eorum, qui munera libenter accipiunt.
For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
35 Concepit dolorem, et peperit iniquitatem, et uterus eius præparat dolos.
They conceive mischief and produce iniquity. Their heart prepares deceit.”
