Job 15

1 But Eliphaz the Themanite, answering, said:

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

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

"Should a wise man answer with vain knowledge, and fill himself with the east wind?

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

Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or with speeches with which he can do no good?

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

Yes, you do away with fear, and hinder devotion before God.

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

For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.

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

Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.

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

"Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought forth before the hills?

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

Have you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?

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

What do you know, that we do not know? What do you understand, which is not in us?

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

With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, much elder than your father.

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

Are the consolations of God too small for you, even the word that is gentle toward you?

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

Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,

13 Why does your spirit stir against God, so as to utter such speeches 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 immaculate, and that he should appear just, having been born of woman?

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 holy ones not one is immutable, and even 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 abominable and useless is the man who drinks as if from the water of iniquity?

how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water.

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

"I will show you, listen to me; that which I have seen I will declare:

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

(Which wise men have told by their fathers, and have not hidden it;

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

to whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them):

20 The impious is arrogant for 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 terror is always in his ears; and when there is peace, he always suspects treason.

A sound of terrors is in his ears. In prosperity the destroyer shall come on him.

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.

He doesn't believe that he shall return out of darkness. He is waited for by the sword.

23 When he moves himself to seek bread, he knows that the day of darkness has been prepared for 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 will terrify him, and anguish will prevail over him, like a king who is being prepared to go to battle.

Distress and anguish make him afraid. They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.

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

Because he has stretched out his hand against God, and behaves himself proudly against Shaddai;

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

he runs at him with a stiff neck, with the thick shields of his bucklers;

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

because he has covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat on his thighs.

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

He has lived in desolate cities, in houses which no one inhabited, which were ready to become heaps.

29 He will not be enriched, nor will his basic necessities endure, nor will he establish 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 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.

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

Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; for emptiness shall be his reward.

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

It shall be accomplished before his time. His branch shall not be green.

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.

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

For the company of the godless shall be barren, and fire shall consume the tents of bribery.

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

They conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. Their heart prepares deceit."