Job 15

1Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

2Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?footnote a

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.footnote bfootnote c

5For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.footnote d

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.footnote e

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.footnote f

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.footnote g

Eliphaz: Job Does Not Fear God

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

2“Does a wise man answer with empty counselor fill his belly with the hot east wind? 3Should he argue with useless wordsor speeches that serve no purpose? 4But you even undermine the fear of Godand hinder meditation before Him. 5For your iniquity instructs your mouth,and you choose the language of the crafty. 6Your own mouth, not mine, condemns you;your own lips testify against you.

7Were you the first man ever born?Were you brought forth before the hills? 8Do you listen in on the council of Godor limit wisdom to yourself? 9What do you know that we do not?What do you understand that is not clear to us? 10Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side—men much older than your father. 11Are the consolations of God not enough for you,even words spoken gently to you? 12Why has your heart carried you away,and why do your eyes flash,footnote a 13so that you turn your spirit against Godand pour such words from your mouth?

14What is man, that he should be pure,or one born of woman, that he should be righteous? 15If God puts no trust in His holy ones,if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes, 16how much less man, who is vile and corrupt,who drinks injustice like water? 17Listen to me and I will inform you.I will describe what I have seen, 18what was declared by wise menand was not concealed from their fathers, 19to whom alone the land was givenwhen no foreigner passed among them.

20A wicked man writhes in pain all his days;only a few years are reserved for the ruthless. 21Sounds of terror fill his ears;in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him. 22He despairs of his return from darkness;he is marked for the sword. 23He wanders about as food for vultures;he knows the day of darkness is at hand. 24Distress and anguish terrify him,overwhelming him like a king poised to attack. 25For he has stretched out his hand against Godand has vaunted himself against the Almighty, 26rushing headlong at Himwith a thick, studded shield.

27Though his face is covered with fatand his waistline bulges with flesh, 28he will dwell in ruined cities,in abandoned houses destined to become rubble. 29He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure.His possessions will not overspread the land. 30He will not escape from the darkness;the flame will wither his shoots,and the breath of God’s mouthwill carry him away.

31Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness,for emptiness will be his reward. 32It will be paid in full before his time,and his branch will not flourish. 33He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes,like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms. 34For the company of the godless will be barren,and fire will consume the tents of bribery. 35They conceive trouble and give birth to evil;their womb is pregnant with deceit.”