Job 15
1 And Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind,
“Would a wise man answer with such empty ‘knowledge’ that is just a lot of hot air?
3 Reasoning with unprofitable talk, and with speeches which do no good?
He wouldn't argue with unprofitable speeches using words that do no good.
4 Yea, thou makest piety of none effect, and restrainest meditation before God.
But you are doing away with the fear of God, and destroying communion with him.
5 For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou hast chosen the tongue of the crafty.
It's your sins that are doing the talking, and you are choosing deceptive words.
6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, 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 Art thou the first man that was born? and wast thou brought forth before the hills?
Were you the very first person to be born? Were you born before the hills were created?
8 Hast thou listened in the secret council of God? And hast thou absorbed wisdom for thyself?
Were you there listening in God's council? Does wisdom only belong to you?
9 What knowest thou that we know not? [what] understandest thou which is not in us?
What do you know that we don't? What do you understand that we don't?
10 Both the greyheaded and the aged are with us, older than thy father.
We have among us old, gray-haired people much older than your father!
11 Are the consolations of God too small for thee? and the word gently spoken to thee?
Are the comforts God provides too little for you? Are God's gentle words not enough for you?
12 Why doth thy heart carry thee away? and why do thine eyes wink?
Why do you let yourself be carried away by your emotions?
13 That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest words go out of 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 should be pure? and he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
Who can say they are clean? Which human being can say that they do what is right?
15 Behold, he putteth no trust in his holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in his sight:
Look, God doesn't even trust his angels—even the heavenly beings are not pure in his sight!
16 How much less the abominable and corrupt, — man, that drinketh unrighteousness like water!
How much less pure are those who are unclean and corrupt, drinking in sin like water!
17 I will shew thee, listen to me; and what I have seen I will declare;
If you are ready to listen to me, I will show you. I will explain my insights.
18 Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hidden;
This is what wise men have said, confirmed by their ancestors,
19 Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.
those who to whom alone the land was given before foreigners ever were there.
20 All his days the wicked man is tormented, and numbered years are allotted to the violent.
The wicked writhe in pain all their lives, through all the years these oppressors survive.
21 The sound of terrors is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer cometh upon him.
Terrifying sounds fill their ears; even when they think they're safe, the destroyer will attack them.
22 He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is singled out for the sword.
They don't believe they will escape the darkness—they know a sword is waiting for them.
23 He wandereth abroad for bread, — where may it be? He knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
They wander around looking for food, asking ‘Where is it?’ They know that their day of darkness is close at hand.
24 Distress and anguish make him afraid; they prevail against him, as a king ready for the battle.
Misery and torment overwhelm them like a king preparing for battle.
25 For he hath stretched out his hand against God, and strengthened himself against the Almighty:
They shake their fists in God's face, defiantly challenging the Almighty,
26 He runneth against him, with [outstretched] neck, with the thick bosses of his bucklers;
insolently attacking him with their shields.
27 For he hath covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat upon [his] flanks.
They have become fat in their rebellion, their bellies bloated with fat.
28 And he dwelleth in desolate cities, in houses that no man inhabiteth, which are destined to become heaps.
But their cities will become desolate; they will live in abandoned houses that are crumbling into ruins.
29 He shall not become rich, neither shall his substance continue, and their possessions shall not extend upon the earth.
They will lose their riches, their wealth will not endure, their possessions will not spread over the earth.
30 He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches; and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.
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 trust in vanity: he is deceived, for vanity shall be his recompense;
They should not trust in things that are worthless, for their reward will be worthless.
32 It shall be complete before his day, and his branch shall not be green.
This will be paid in full before their time has come. They are like tree branches that wither,
33 He shall shake off his unripe grapes as a vine, and shall cast his flower as an olive.
like vines that lose their unripe grapes, or olive trees that lose their flowers.
34 For the family of the ungodly shall be barren, and fire shall consume the tents of bribery.
For those who reject God are barren, and fire will burn up the homes of those who love bribes.
35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity, and their belly prepareth deceit.
They plan trouble and produce evil, giving birth to deception.”
