Job 15 (GLT) · Opened

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

2“Should a wise man answer with useless knowledge and fill himself with the east wind?“Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill his belly with the hot east wind?

3Should he reason with unprofitable talk or with speeches with which he can do no good?Should he argue with useless words or speeches that serve no purpose?

4Indeed, you diminish respect for God; you obstruct devotion to him,But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him.

5for your iniquity teaches your mouth; you choose to have the tongue of a crafty man.For your iniquity instructs your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.

6Your own mouth condemns you, not mine; indeed, your own lips testify against you.Your own mouth, not mine, condemns you; your own lips testify against you.

7Are you the first man that was born? Were you brought into existence before the hills?Were you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?

8Have you heard the secret knowledge of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself?

9What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not also in us?What do you know that we do not? What do you understand that is not clear to us?

10With us are both the gray- headed and the very aged men who are much older than your father.Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side—men much older than your father.

11Are the consolations of God too small for you, the words that are gentle toward you?Are the consolations of God not enough for you, even words spoken gently to you?

12Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,

13so that you turn your spirit against God and bring out such words from your mouth?so that you turn your spirit against God and pour such words from your mouth?

14What is man that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman that he should be righteous?What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?

15See, God puts no trust even in his holy ones; indeed, the heavens are not clean in his sight;If God puts no trust in His holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes,

16how much less clean is one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?

17I will show you; listen to me; I will announce to you the things I have seen,Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen,

18the things that wise men have passed down from their fathers, the things that their ancestors did not hide.what was declared by wise men and was not concealed from their fathers,

19These were their ancestors, to whom alone the land was given, and among whom no stranger ever passed.to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them.

20The wicked man twists in pain all his days, the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor to suffer.A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.

21A sound of terrors is in his ears; while he is in prosperity, the destroyer will come upon him.Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.

22He does not think that he will return out of darkness; the sword waits for him.He despairs of his return from darkness; he is marked for the sword.

23He goes to various places for bread, saying,‘Where is it?’ He knows that the day of darkness is at hand.He wanders about as food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.

24Distress and anguish make him afraid; they prevail against him, as a king ready for battle.Distress and anguish terrify him, overwhelming him like a king poised to attack.

25Because he has reached out with his hand against God and has behaved proudly against the Almighty,For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty,

26this wicked man runs at God with a stiff neck, with a thick shield.rushing headlong at Him with a thick, studded shield.

27This is true, even though he has covered his face with his fat and gathered fat on his loins,Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with flesh,

28and has lived in desolate cities; in houses which no man inhabits now and which were ready to become heaps.he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become rubble.

29He will not be rich; his wealth will not last and his possessions will not spread over the land.He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not overspread the land.

30He will not depart out of darkness; a flame will dry up his stalks; at the breath of God’ s mouth he will go away.He will not escape from the darkness; the flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away.

31Let him not trust in useless things, deceiving himself; for uselessness will be his reward.Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward.

32It will happen before his time should come to die; his branch will not be green.It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not flourish.

33He will drop his unripe grapes like a grapevine; he will cast off his flowers like the olive tree.He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.

34For the company of godless people will be barren; fire will consume their tents of bribery.For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.

35They conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity; their womb conceives deceit.”They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb is pregnant with deceit.”

Job 15

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Job 15

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