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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.”

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Eliphaz Describes the Plight of the Wicked

17 “I’ll tell you what, listen to me!
    Let me relate what I’ve seen,
18 which is what wise men have explained,
    who didn’t withhold anything from their ancestors.
19 To them alone was the land given,
    when no invader[a] passed through their midst.

20 “The wicked person writhes in pain throughout his life,
    a number of years has been reserved for the ruthless.
21 Terrifying sounds ring[b] in his ears;
    when times are prosperous, the Destroyer will attack[c] him.
22 He does not believe he will escape[d] darkness;
    he is destined for the sword.
23 He wanders around for food—where is it?
    He knows that a time of darkness is near.[e]
24 Distress and pressure terrify him;
    they overwhelm him, like a king poised for attack.

25 “For he has raised his fist against God,
    defying the Almighty.
26 He defiantly ran against him
    carrying his thick, reinforced shield.
27 Though he covered his face with fat,
    and is grossly overweight at the waist,
28 He will live in devastated towns,
    in abandoned houses
        that are about to become heaps of rubble.

29 “He won’t become rich and his wealth won’t last;
    he won’t expand his holdings to cover the land.
30 He won’t escape darkness;
    a flame will wither his shoots;
        and he’ll depart by the breath of God’s[f] mouth.
31 Let him not trust in a worthless speech.
    He leads only himself astray,
        for emptiness will be his reward.
32 This will be accomplished before his time;[g]
    his branches won’t grow luxuriant.

33 “He is like a vine that drops its unripe grapes;
    like an olive tree that loses its blossoms.
34 For the company of the godless is desolation,
    and fire consumes the tents of those who[h] bribe.
35 For they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity;
    their womb is pregnant[i] with deception.”

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Footnotes

  1. Job 15:19 Or foreigner
  2. Job 15:21 The Heb. lacks ring
  3. Job 15:21 Or come upon him
  4. Job 15:22 Or turn aside
  5. Job 15:23 Lit. is at hand
  6. Job 15:30 Lit. his
  7. Job 15:32 Lit. day
  8. Job 15:34 The Heb. lacks those who
  9. Job 15:35 Lit. womb fashions; i.e., as a womb fashions a child