< Job 15 >

1 And Eliphaz the Themanite, answered, and said:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2 Will a wise man answer as if he were speaking in the wind, and fill his stomach with burning heat?
"Should a wise man answer with vain knowledge, and fill himself with the east wind?
3 Thou reprovest him by words, who is not equal to thee, and thou speakest that which is not good for thee.
Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or with speeches with which he can do no good?
4 As much as is in thee, thou hast made void fear, and hast taken away prayers from before God.
Yes, you do away with fear, and hinder devotion before God.
5 For thy iniquity hath taught thy mouth, and thou imitatest the tongue of blasphemers.
For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.
6 Thy own mouth shall condemn thee, and not I: and thy own lips shall answer thee.
Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.
7 Art thou the first man that was born, or wast thou made before the hills?
"Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought forth before the hills?
8 Hast thou heard God’s counsel, and shall his wisdom be inferior to thee?
Have you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
9 What knowest thou that we are ignorant of? what dost thou understand that we know not?
What do you know, that we do not know? What do you understand, which is not in us?
10 There are with us also aged and ancient men, much elder than thy fathers.
With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, much elder than your father.
11 Is it a great matter that God should comfort thee? but thy wicked words hinder this.
Are the consolations of God too small for you, even the word that is gentle toward you?
12 Why doth thy heart elevate thee, and why dost thou stare with thy eyes, as if they were thinking great things?
Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,
13 Why doth thy spirit swell against God, to utter such words out of thy 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 without spot, and he that is born of a woman that he should appear just?
What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
15 Behold among his saints none is unchangeable, and the heavens are not pure in his sight.
Look, he puts no trust in his holy ones. Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight;
16 How much more is man abominable, and unprofitable, who drinketh iniquity like water?
how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water.
17 I will shew thee, hear me: and I will tell thee what I have seen.
"I will show you, listen to me; that which I have seen I will declare:
18 Wise men confess and hide not their fathers.
(Which wise men have told by their fathers, and have not hidden it;
19 To whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger hath passed among them.
to whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them):
20 The wicked man is proud all his days, and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain.
the wicked man writhes in pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.
21 The sound of dread is always in his ears: and when there is peace, he always suspecteth treason.
A sound of terrors is in his ears. In prosperity the destroyer shall come on him.
22 He believeth not that he may return from darkness to light, looking round about for the sword on every side.
He doesn't believe that he shall return out of darkness. He is waited for by the sword.
23 When he moveth himself to seek bread, he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
He wanders abroad for bread, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24 Tribulation shall terrify him, and distress shall surround him, as a king that is prepared for the battle.
Distress and anguish make him afraid. They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
25 For he hath stretched out his hand against God, and hath strengthened himself against the Almighty.
Because he has stretched out his hand against God, and behaves himself proudly against Shaddai;
26 He hath run against him with his neck raised up, and is armed with a fat neck.
he runs at him with a stiff neck, with the thick shields of his bucklers;
27 Fatness hath covered his face, and the fat hangeth down on his sides.
because he has covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat on his thighs.
28 He hath dwelt in desolate cities, and in desert houses that are reduced into heaps.
He has lived in desolate cities, in houses which no one inhabited, which were ready to become heaps.
29 He shall not be enriched, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he push his root in the earth.
He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall their possessions be extended on the earth.
30 He shall not depart out of darkness: the flame shall dry up his branches, and he shall be taken away by the breath of his own month.
He shall not depart out of darkness. The flame shall dry up his branches. By the breath of God's mouth shall he go away.
31 He shall not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he may be redeemed with any price.
Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; for emptiness shall be his reward.
32 Before his days be full he shall perish: and his hands shall wither away.
It shall be accomplished before his time. His branch shall not be green.
33 He shall be blasted as a vine when its grapes are in the first flower, and as an olive tree that casteth its flower.
He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive tree.
34 For the congregation of the hypocrite is barren, and fire shall devour their tabernacles, who love to take bribes.
For the company of the godless shall be barren, and fire shall consume the tents of bribery.
35 He hath conceived sorrow, and hath brought forth iniquity, and his womb prepareth deceits.
They conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. Their heart prepares deceit."

< Job 15 >