Job 15

Eliphaz Says Job Presumes Much

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,2“Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, 1And fill 2himself with the east wind?3Should he argue with useless talk, Or with words which do not benefit?4Indeed, you do away with 3reverence, And hinder meditation before God.5For 4your wrongdoing teaches your mouth, And you choose the language of 5the cunning.6Your 6own mouth condemns you, and not I; And your own lips testify against you.

7“Were you the first person to be born, Or 7were you brought forth before the hills?8Do you hear the 8secret discussion of God, And limit wisdom to yourself?99What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that 10we do not?10Both the 11gray-haired and the aged are among us, Older than your father.11Are 12the consolations of God too little for you, Or the 13word spoken gently to you?12Why does your 14heart take you away? And why do your eyes wink,13That you can turn your spirit against God And produce such words from your mouth?14What is man, that 15he would be pure, Or 16he who is born of a woman, that he would be righteous?15Behold, He has no trust in His 17holy ones, And the 18heavens are not pure in His sight;16How much less one who is 19detestable and corrupt: A person who 20drinks 21malice like water!

What Eliphaz Has Seen of Life

17“I will tell you, listen to me; And what I have seen I will also declare;18What wise people have told, And have not concealed from 22their fathers,19To whom alone the land was given, And no stranger passed among them.20The wicked person writhes 23in pain all his days, And the 24years 25reserved for the ruthless are numbered.2126Sounds of 27terror are in his ears; 28While he is at peace the destroyer comes upon him.22He does not believe that he will 29return from darkness, And he is destined for 30the sword.23He wanders about for food, saying, ‘Where is it?’ He knows that a day of 31darkness is 32at hand.24Distress and anguish terrify him, They overpower him like a king ready for the attack,25Because he has reached out with his hand against God, And is 33arrogant toward 34the Almighty.26He rushes 35headlong at Him With his 36massive shield.27For he has 37covered his face with his fat, And 38put fat on his waist.28He has 39lived in desolate cities, In houses no one would inhabit, Which are destined to become 40ruins.29He 41will not become rich, nor will his wealth endure; And his property will not stretch out on the earth.30He will 42not 43escape from darkness; The 44flame will dry up his shoot, And he will go away by 45the breath of His mouth.31Let him not 46trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; For his 47reward will be emptiness.32It will be accomplished 48before his time, And his palm 49branch will not be green.33He will drop off his unripe grape like the vine, And will 50cast off his flower like the olive tree.34For the company of 51the godless is barren, And fire consumes 52the tents of 53the corrupt.35They 54conceive 55harm and give birth to wrongdoing, And their 56mind prepares deception.”