Job 15

1 But Eliphaz the Themanite, answering, said:

Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and said,

2 Will a wise man answer as if he were speaking wind, and will he fill his stomach with fire?

Will a wise man give for answer a [mere] breath of wisdom? and does he fill up the pain of his belly,

3 You rebuke with words he who is not equal to you, and you speak what is not expedient for you,

reasoning with improper sayings, and with words wherein is no profit?

4 to such an extent that, within yourself, you have expelled reverence and have taken away prayers from the presence of God.

Hast not you moreover cast off fear, and accomplished such words before the Lord?

5 For your iniquity has mislead your mouth, and you imitate the tongue of blasphemers.

You are guilty by the words of your mouth, neither have you discerned the words of the mighty.

6 Your own mouth will condemn you, not I; and your own lips will answer you.

Let your own mouth, and not me, reprove you: and your lips shall testify against you.

7 Are you the first man who was born, or were you formed before the hills?

What! are you the first man that was born? or were you established before the hills?

8 Have you heard the intentions of God, and will his wisdom be inferior to you?

Or have you heard the ordinance of the Lord? or has God used you as [his] counsellor? and has wisdom come [only] to you?

9 What do you know, about which we are ignorant? What do you understand that we do not know?

For what know you, that, we know not? or what understand you, which we do not also?

10 There are with us both aged and ancient men, even more senior than your fathers.

Truly among us [are] both the old and very aged man, more advanced in days than your father.

11 Is it so important that God should console you? But your own depraved words prevent this.

You have been scourged for [but] few of your sins: you have spoken haughtily [and] extravagantly.

12 Why does your heart exalt you, and why do you gaze with your eyes, as if thinking great things?

What has your heart dared? or what have your eyes [aimed at],

13 Why does your spirit stir against God, so as to utter such speeches from your mouth?

that you have vented [your] rage before the Lord, and delivered such words from [your] mouth?

14 What is man that he should be immaculate, and that he should appear just, having been born of woman?

For who, being a mortal, [is such] that he shall be blameless? or, [who that is] born of a woman, that he should be just?

15 Behold, among his holy ones not one is immutable, and even the heavens are not pure in his sight.

Forasmuch as he trusts not his saints; and the heaven is not pure before him.

16 How much more abominable and useless is the man who drinks as if from the water of iniquity?

Alas then, abominable and unclean is man, drinking unrighteousness as a draught.

17 I will reveal to you, so listen to me; and I will explain to you what I have seen.

But I will tell you, listen to me; I will tell you now what I have seen;

18 The wise acknowledge, and they do not leave behind, their fathers,

things wise men say, and their fathers have not hidden.

19 to whom alone the earth has been given, and no stranger passed among them.

To them alone the earth was given, and no stranger came upon them.

20 The impious is arrogant for all his days, and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain.

All the life of the ungodly [is spent] in care, and the years granted to the oppressor are numbered.

21 The sound of terror is always in his ears; and when there is peace, he always suspects treason.

And his terror is in his ears: just when he seems to be at peace, his overthrow will come.

22 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.

Let him not trust that he shall return from darkness, for he has been already made over to the power of the sword.

23 When he moves himself to seek bread, he knows that the day of darkness has been prepared for his hand.

And he has been appointed to be food for vultures; and he knows within himself that he is doomed to be a carcass: and a dark day shall carry him away as with a whirlwind.

24 Tribulation will terrify him, and anguish will prevail over him, like a king who is being prepared to go to battle.

Distress also and anguish shall come upon him: he shall fall as a captain in the first rank.

25 For he has extended his hand against God, and he has strengthened himself against the Almighty.

For he has lifted his hands against the Lord, and he has hardened his neck against the Almighty Lord.

26 He has rushed against him with his throat exposed, and he has been armed with a fat neck.

And he has run against him with insolence, on the thickness of the back of his shield.

27 Thickness has covered his face, and lard hangs down from his sides.

For he has covered his face with his fat, and made layers of fat upon his thighs.

28 He has lived in desolate cities and deserted houses, which have been turned into tombs.

And let him lodge in desolate cities, and enter into houses without inhabitant: and what they have prepared, others shall carry away.

29 He will not be enriched, nor will his basic necessities endure, nor will he establish his root in the earth.

Neither shall he at all grow rich, nor shall his substance remain: he shall not cast a shadow upon the earth.

30 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.

Neither shall he in any wise escape the darkness: let the wind blast his blossom, and let his flower fall off.

31 He will not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he could be redeemed at any price.

Let him not think that he shall endure; for his end shall be vanity.

32 Before his time is completed, he will pass into ruin and his hands will wither away.

His harvest shall perish before the time, and his branch shall not flourish.

33 He will be wounded like a grapevine, when its cluster is in first flower, and like an olive tree that casts off its flower.

And let him be gathered as the unripe grape before the time, and let him fall as the blossom of the olive.

34 For the congregation of the hypocrites is fruitless, and fire will devour the tabernacles of those who love to accept money.

For death is the witness of an ungodly man, and fire shall burn the houses of them that receive gifts.

35 He has conceived sorrow, and he has brought forth iniquity, and his womb prepares deceit.

And he shall conceive sorrows, and his end shall be vanity, and his belly shall bear deceit.