Job 15
1But Eliphaz the Themanite, answering, said:
2Will a wise man answer as if he were speaking wind, and will he fill his stomach with fire?
3You rebuke with words he who is not equal to you, and you speak what is not expedient for you,
4to such an extent that, within yourself, you have expelled reverence and have taken away prayers from the presence of God.
5For your iniquity has mislead your mouth, and you imitate the tongue of blasphemers.
6Your own mouth will condemn you, not I; and your own lips will answer you.
7Are you the first man who was born, or were you formed before the hills?
8Have you heard the intentions of God, and will his wisdom be inferior to you?
9What do you know, about which we are ignorant? What do you understand that we do not know?
10There are with us both aged and ancient men, even more senior than your fathers.
11Is it so important that God should console you? But your own depraved words prevent this.
12Why does your heart exalt you, and why do you gaze with your eyes, as if thinking great things?
13Why does your spirit stir against God, so as to utter such speeches from your mouth?
14What is man that he should be immaculate, and that he should appear just, having been born of woman?
15Behold, among his holy ones not one is immutable, and even the heavens are not pure in his sight.
16How much more abominable and useless is the man who drinks as if from the water of iniquity?
17I will reveal to you, so listen to me; and I will explain to you what I have seen.
18The wise acknowledge, and they do not leave behind, their fathers,
19to whom alone the earth has been given, and no stranger passed among them.
20The impious is arrogant for all his days, and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain.
21The sound of terror is always in his ears; and when there is peace, he always suspects treason.
22He does not believe that it is possible for him to be turned from darkness into the light, for he sees around him the sword on every side.
23When he moves himself to seek bread, he knows that the day of darkness has been prepared for his hand.
24Tribulation will terrify him, and anguish will prevail over him, like a king who is being prepared to go to battle.
25For he has extended his hand against God, and he has strengthened himself against the Almighty.
26He has rushed against him with his throat exposed, and he has been armed with a fat neck.
27Thickness has covered his face, and lard hangs down from his sides.
28He has lived in desolate cities and deserted houses, which have been turned into tombs.
29He will not be enriched, nor will his basic necessities endure, nor will he establish his root in the earth.
30He will not withdraw from the darkness; the flame will burn up his branches, and he will be defeated by the breath of his own mouth.
31He will not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he could be redeemed at any price.
32Before his time is completed, he will pass into ruin and his hands will wither away.
33He will be wounded like a grapevine, when its cluster is in first flower, and like an olive tree that casts off its flower.
34For the congregation of the hypocrites is fruitless, and fire will devour the tabernacles of those who love to accept money.
35He has conceived sorrow, and he has brought forth iniquity, and his womb prepares deceit.
1Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
2Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
3Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?
4Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.
5For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
6Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
7Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?
8Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
9What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?
10With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.
11Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?
12Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,
13That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?
14What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
15Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
16How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?
17I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;
18Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:
19Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.
20The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.
21A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.
22He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.
23He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
25For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.
26He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:
27Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.
28And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.
29He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.
30He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.
31Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.
32It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.
33He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.
34For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.
35They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.