Job 15
1 Respondens autem Eliphaz Themanites, dixit:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 Numquid sapiens respondebit quasi in ventum loquens, et implebit ardore stomachum suum?
“Should a wise man answer with useless knowledge and fill himself with the east wind?
3 Arguis verbis eum qui non est æqualis tibi, et loqueris quod tibi non expedit.
Should he reason with unprofitable talk or with speeches with which he can do no good?
4 Quantum in te est, evacuasti timorem, et tulisti preces coram Deo.
Indeed, you diminish respect for God; you obstruct devotion to him,
5 Docuit enim iniquitas tua os tuum, et imitaris linguam blasphemantium.
for your iniquity teaches your mouth; you choose to have the tongue of a crafty man.
6 Condemnabit te os tuum, et non ego: et labia tua respondebunt tibi.
Your own mouth condemns you, not mine; indeed, your own lips testify against you.
7 Numquid primus homo tu natus es, et ante colles formatus?
Are you the first man that was born? Were you brought into existence before the hills?
8 numquid consilium Dei audisti, et inferior te erit ejus sapientia?
Have you heard the secret knowledge of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
9 Quid nosti quod ignoremus? quid intelligis quod nesciamus?
What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not also in us?
10 Et senes et antiqui sunt in nobis, multo vetustiores quam patres tui.
With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men who are much older than your father.
11 Numquid grande est ut consoletur te Deus? sed verba tua prava hoc prohibent.
Are the consolations of God too small for you, the words that are gentle toward you?
12 Quid te elevat cor tuum, et quasi magna cogitans attonitos habes oculos?
Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,
13 Quid tumet contra Deum spiritus tuus, ut proferas de ore tuo hujuscemodi sermones?
so that you turn your spirit against God and bring out such words from your mouth?
14 Quid est homo ut immaculatus sit, et ut justus appareat natus de muliere?
What is man that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman that he should be righteous?
15 Ecce inter sanctos ejus nemo immutabilis, et cæli non sunt mundi in conspectu ejus.
See, God puts no trust even in his holy ones; indeed, the heavens are not clean in his sight;
16 Quanto magis abominabilis et inutilis homo, qui bibit quasi aquam iniquitatem?
how much less clean is one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!
17 Ostendam tibi: audi me: quod vidi, narrabo tibi.
I will show you; listen to me; I will announce to you the things I have seen,
18 Sapientes confitentur, et non abscondunt patres suos:
the things that wise men have passed down from their fathers, the things that their ancestors did not hide.
19 quibus solis data est terra, et non transivit alienus per eos.
These were their ancestors, to whom alone the land was given, and among whom no stranger ever passed.
20 Cunctis diebus suis impius superbit, et numerus annorum incertus est tyrannidis ejus.
The wicked man twists in pain all his days, the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor to suffer.
21 Sonitus terroris semper in auribus illius: et cum pax sit, ille semper insidias suspicatur.
A sound of terrors is in his ears; while he is in prosperity, the destroyer will come upon him.
22 Non credit quod reverti possit de tenebris ad lucem, circumspectans undique gladium.
He does not think that he will return out of darkness; the sword waits for him.
23 Cum se moverit ad quærendum panem, novit quod paratus sit in manu ejus tenebrarum dies.
He goes to various places for bread, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that the day of darkness is at hand.
24 Terrebit eum tribulatio, et angustia vallabit eum, sicut regem qui præparatur ad prælium.
Distress and anguish make him afraid; they prevail against him, as a king ready for battle.
25 Tetendit enim adversus Deum manum suam, et contra Omnipotentem roboratus est.
Because he has reached out with his hand against God and has behaved proudly against the Almighty,
26 Cucurrit adversus eum erecto collo, et pingui cervice armatus est.
this wicked man runs at God with a stiff neck, with a thick shield.
27 Operuit faciem ejus crassitudo, et de lateribus ejus arvina dependet.
This is true, even though he has covered his face with his fat and gathered fat on his loins,
28 Habitavit in civitatibus desolatis, et in domibus desertis, quæ in tumulos sunt redactæ.
and has lived in desolate cities; in houses which no man inhabits now and which were ready to become heaps.
29 Non ditabitur, nec perseverabit substantia ejus, nec mittet in terra radicem suam.
He will not be rich; his wealth will not last and his possessions will not spread over the land.
30 Non recedet de tenebris: ramos ejus arefaciet flamma, et auferetur spiritu oris sui.
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 Non credet, frustra errore deceptus, quod aliquo pretio redimendus sit.
Let him not trust in useless things, deceiving himself; for uselessness will be his reward.
32 Antequam dies ejus impleantur peribit, et manus ejus arescent.
It will happen before his time should come to die; his branch will not be green.
33 Lædetur quasi vinea in primo flore botrus ejus, et quasi oliva projiciens florem suum.
He will drop his unripe grapes like a grapevine; he will cast off his flowers like the olive tree.
34 Congregatio enim hypocritæ sterilis, et ignis devorabit tabernacula eorum qui munera libenter accipiunt.
For the company of godless people will be barren; fire will consume their tents of bribery.
35 Concepit dolorem, et peperit iniquitatem, et uterus ejus præparat dolos.
They conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity; their womb conceives deceit.”
