Eliphaz Says Job Presumes Much

15 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,

“Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge,
(A)And fill [a]himself with the east wind?
Should he argue with useless talk,
Or with words which do not benefit?
Indeed, you do away with [b]reverence,
And hinder meditation before God.
For (B)your wrongdoing teaches your mouth,
And you choose the language of (C)the cunning.
Your (D)own mouth condemns you, and not I;
And your own lips testify against you.

“Were you the first person to be born,
Or (E)were you brought forth before the hills?
Do you hear the (F)secret discussion of God,
And limit wisdom to yourself?
(G)What do you know that we do not know?
What do you understand that [c]we do not?
10 Both the (H)gray-haired and the aged are among us,
Older than your father.
11 Are (I)the consolations of God too little for you,
Or the (J)word spoken gently to you?
12 Why does your (K)heart take you away?
And why do your eyes wink,
13 That you can turn your spirit against God
And produce such words from your mouth?

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Footnotes

  1. Job 15:2 Lit his belly
  2. Job 15:4 Lit fear
  3. Job 15:9 Lit is not within us?

Eliphaz Speaks: Job Undermines Religion

15 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:

“Should the wise answer with windy knowledge
    and fill themselves with the east wind?(A)
Should they argue in unprofitable talk
    or in words that can do no good?
But you are doing away with the fear of God
    and hindering meditation before God.
For your iniquity teaches your mouth,
    and you choose the tongue of the crafty.(B)
Your own mouth condemns you, not I;
    your own lips testify against you.(C)

“Are you the firstborn of the human race?
    Were you brought forth before the hills?(D)
Have you listened in the council of God?
    And do you limit wisdom to yourself?(E)
What do you know that we do not know?
    What do you understand that is not clear to us?(F)
10 The gray-haired and the aged are on our side,
    those older than your father.(G)
11 Are the consolations of God too small for you
    or the word that deals gently with you?(H)
12 Why does your heart carry you away,
    and why do your eyes flash,[a]
13 so that you turn your spirit against God,
    and let such words go out of your mouth?(I)

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Footnotes

  1. 15.12 Meaning of Heb uncertain