Job 15
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 “Would a wise man answer with such empty ‘knowledge’ that is just a lot of hot air?
“Should a wise man answer with useless knowledge and fill himself with the east wind?
3 He wouldn't argue with unprofitable speeches using words that do no good.
Should he reason with unprofitable talk or with speeches with which he can do no good?
4 But you are doing away with the fear of God, and destroying communion with him.
Indeed, you diminish respect for God; you obstruct devotion to him,
5 It's your sins that are doing the talking, and you are choosing deceptive words.
for your iniquity teaches your mouth; you choose to have the tongue of a crafty man.
6 Your own mouth is condemning you, not me; your own lips are testifying against you.
Your own mouth condemns you, not mine; indeed, your own lips testify against you.
7 Were you the very first person to be born? Were you born before the hills were created?
Are you the first man that was born? Were you brought into existence before the hills?
8 Were you there listening in God's council? Does wisdom only belong to you?
Have you heard the secret knowledge of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
9 What do you know that we don't? What do you understand that we don't?
What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not also in us?
10 We have among us old, gray-haired people much older than your father!
With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men who are much older than your father.
11 Are the comforts God provides too little for you? Are God's gentle words not enough for you?
Are the consolations of God too small for you, the words that are gentle toward you?
12 Why do you let yourself be carried away by your emotions?
Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,
13 Why do your eyes flash in anger that you turn against God and let yourself speak this way?
so that you turn your spirit against God and bring out such words from your mouth?
14 Who can say they are clean? Which human being can say that they do what is right?
What is man that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman that he should be righteous?
15 Look, God doesn't even trust his angels—even the heavenly beings are not pure in his sight!
See, God puts no trust even in his holy ones; indeed, the heavens are not clean in his sight;
16 How much less pure are those who are unclean and corrupt, drinking in sin like water!
how much less clean is one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!
17 If you are ready to listen to me, I will show you. I will explain my insights.
I will show you; listen to me; I will announce to you the things I have seen,
18 This is what wise men have said, confirmed by their ancestors,
the things that wise men have passed down from their fathers, the things that their ancestors did not hide.
19 those who to whom alone the land was given before foreigners ever were there.
These were their ancestors, to whom alone the land was given, and among whom no stranger ever passed.
20 The wicked writhe in pain all their lives, through all the years these oppressors survive.
The wicked man twists in pain all his days, the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor to suffer.
21 Terrifying sounds fill their ears; even when they think they're safe, the destroyer will attack them.
A sound of terrors is in his ears; while he is in prosperity, the destroyer will come upon him.
22 They don't believe they will escape the darkness—they know a sword is waiting for them.
He does not think that he will return out of darkness; the sword waits for him.
23 They wander around looking for food, asking ‘Where is it?’ They know that their day of darkness is close at hand.
He goes to various places for bread, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that the day of darkness is at hand.
24 Misery and torment overwhelm them like a king preparing for battle.
Distress and anguish make him afraid; they prevail against him, as a king ready for battle.
25 They shake their fists in God's face, defiantly challenging the Almighty,
Because he has reached out with his hand against God and has behaved proudly against the Almighty,
26 insolently attacking him with their shields.
this wicked man runs at God with a stiff neck, with a thick shield.
27 They have become fat in their rebellion, their bellies bloated with fat.
This is true, even though he has covered his face with his fat and gathered fat on his loins,
28 But their cities will become desolate; they will live in abandoned houses that are crumbling into ruins.
and has lived in desolate cities; in houses which no man inhabits now and which were ready to become heaps.
29 They will lose their riches, their wealth will not endure, their possessions will not spread over the earth.
He will not be rich; his wealth will not last and his possessions will not spread over the land.
30 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.
He will not depart out of darkness; a flame will dry up his stalks; at the breath of God's mouth he will go away.
31 They should not trust in things that are worthless, for their reward will be worthless.
Let him not trust in useless things, deceiving himself; for uselessness will be his reward.
32 This will be paid in full before their time has come. They are like tree branches that wither,
It will happen before his time should come to die; his branch will not be green.
33 like vines that lose their unripe grapes, or olive trees that lose their flowers.
He will drop his unripe grapes like a grapevine; he will cast off his flowers like the olive tree.
34 For those who reject God are barren, and fire will burn up the homes of those who love bribes.
For the company of godless people will be barren; fire will consume their tents of bribery.
35 They plan trouble and produce evil, giving birth to deception.”
They conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity; their womb conceives deceit.”
