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15 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

“Should a wise man answer with vain knowledge,
    and fill himself with the east wind?
Should he reason with unprofitable talk,
    or with speeches with which he can do no good?
Yes, you do away with fear,
    and hinder devotion before God.
For your iniquity teaches your mouth,
    and you choose the language of the crafty.
Your own mouth condemns you, and not I.
    Yes, your own lips testify against you.

“Are you the first man who was born?
    Or were you brought out before the hills?
Have you heard the secret counsel of God?
    Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
What do you know that we don’t know?
    What do you understand which is not in us?
10 With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men,
    much older than your father.
11 Are the consolations of God too small for you,
    even the word that is gentle toward you?
12 Why does your heart carry you away?
    Why do your eyes flash,
13 that you turn your spirit against God,
    and let such words go out of your mouth?
14 What is man, that he should be clean?
    What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
15 Behold, he puts no trust in his holy ones.
    Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight;
16 how much less one who is abominable and corrupt,
    a man who drinks iniquity like water!

17 “I will show you, listen to me;
    that which I have seen I will declare
18 (which wise men have told by their fathers,
    and have not hidden it;
19 to whom alone the land was given,
    and no stranger passed among them):
20 the wicked man writhes in pain all his days,
    even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.
21 A sound of terrors is in his ears.
    In prosperity the destroyer will come on him.
22 He doesn’t believe that he will return out of darkness.
    He is waited for by the sword.
23 He wanders abroad for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’
    He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24 Distress and anguish make him afraid.
    They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
25 Because he has stretched out his hand against God,
    and behaves himself proudly against the Almighty,
26 he runs at him with a stiff neck,
    with the thick shields of his bucklers,
27 because he has covered his face with his fatness,
    and gathered fat on his thighs.
28 He has lived in desolate cities,
    in houses which no one inhabited,
    which were ready to become heaps.
29 He will not be rich, neither will his substance continue,
    neither will their possessions be extended on the earth.
30 He will not depart out of darkness.
    The flame will dry up his branches.
    He will go away by the breath of God’s mouth.
31 Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself;
    for emptiness will be his reward.
32 It will be accomplished before his time.
    His branch will not be green.
33 He will shake off his unripe grape as the vine,
    and will cast off his flower as the olive tree.
34 For the company of the godless will be barren,
    and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
35 They conceive mischief and produce iniquity.
    Their heart prepares deceit.”

Eliphaz Accuses Job of Folly

15 Then (A)Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

“Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge,
And fill [a]himself with the east wind?
Should he reason with unprofitable talk,
Or by speeches with which he can do no good?
Yes, you cast off fear,
And restrain [b]prayer before God.
For your iniquity teaches your mouth,
And you choose the tongue of the crafty.
(B)Your own mouth condemns you, and not I;
Yes, your own lips testify against you.

Are you the first man who was born?
(C)Or were you made before the hills?
(D)Have you heard the counsel of God?
Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
(E)What do you know that we do not know?
What do you understand that is not in us?
10 (F)Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us,
Much older than your father.
11 Are the consolations of God too small for you,
And the word spoken [c]gently with you?
12 Why does your heart carry you away,
And [d]what do your eyes wink at,
13 That you turn your spirit against God,
And let such words go out of your mouth?

14 “What(G) is man, that he could be pure?
And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?
15 (H)If God puts no trust in His saints,
And the heavens are not pure in His sight,
16 (I)How much less man, who is abominable and filthy,
(J)Who drinks iniquity like water!

17 “I will tell you, hear me;
What I have seen I will declare,
18 What wise men have told,
Not hiding anything received (K)from their fathers,
19 To whom alone the [e]land was given,
And (L)no alien passed among them:
20 The wicked man writhes with pain all his days,
(M)And the number of years is hidden from the oppressor.
21 [f]Dreadful sounds are in his ears;
(N)In prosperity the destroyer comes upon him.
22 He does not believe that he will (O)return from darkness,
For a sword is waiting for him.
23 He (P)wanders about for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?
He knows (Q)that a day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24 Trouble and anguish make him afraid;
They overpower him, like a king ready for [g]battle.
25 For he stretches out his hand against God,
And acts defiantly against the Almighty,
26 Running stubbornly against Him
With his strong, embossed shield.

27 “Though(R) he has covered his face with his fatness,
And made his waist heavy with fat,
28 He dwells in desolate cities,
In houses which no one inhabits,
Which are destined to become ruins.
29 He will not be rich,
Nor will his wealth (S)continue,
Nor will his possessions overspread the earth.
30 He will not depart from darkness;
The flame will dry out his branches,
And (T)by the breath of His mouth he will go away.
31 Let him not (U)trust in futile things, deceiving himself,
For futility will be his reward.
32 It will be accomplished (V)before his time,
And his branch will not be green.
33 He will shake off his unripe grape like a vine,
And cast off his blossom like an olive tree.
34 For the company of hypocrites will be barren,
And fire will consume the tents of bribery.
35 (W)They conceive trouble and bring forth futility;
Their womb prepares deceit.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 15:2 Lit. his belly
  2. Job 15:4 meditation or complaint
  3. Job 15:11 Or a secret thing
  4. Job 15:12 Or why do your eyes flash
  5. Job 15:19 Or earth
  6. Job 15:21 Terrifying
  7. Job 15:24 attack