Job 14:20-15:14

English Standard Version

²⁰You prevail forever against him, and he passes;
    you change his countenance, and send him away.
²¹His sons come to honor, and he ^(A)does not know it;
    they are brought low, and he perceives it not.
²²He feels only the pain of his own body,
    and he mourns only for himself.”

Eliphaz Accuses: Job Does Not Fear God

15 Then ^(B)Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

²“Should ^(C)a wise man answer with ^(D)windy knowledge,
    and fill his ^(E)belly with ^(F)the east wind?
³Should he argue in unprofitable talk,
    or in words with which he can do no good?
⁴But you are doing away with the fear of God^[a]
    and hindering meditation before God.
⁵For your iniquity teaches your mouth,
    and you choose the tongue of the crafty.
⁶Your ^(G)own mouth condemns you, and not I;
    ^(H)your own lips testify against you.

⁷^(I)“Are you the first man who was born?
    Or ^(J)were you brought forth ^(K)before the hills?
⁸Have you listened in ^(L)the council of God?
    And do you limit wisdom to yourself?
⁹^(M)What do you know that we do not know?
    What do you understand that is not clear to us?
¹⁰^(N)Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us,
    older than your father.
¹¹Are the comforts of God too small for you,
    or the word that deals gently with you?
¹²Why does your heart carry you away,
    and why do your eyes flash,
¹³that you turn your ^(O)spirit against God
    and bring such words out of your mouth?
¹⁴^(P)What is man, ^(Q)that he can be pure?
    Or he who is ^(R)born of a woman, that he can be righteous?