Job 15

1. And Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2. “Should a wise man answer with vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?

3. Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or with speeches which can do no good?

4. Yea, you do away with fear, and hinder prayer before God.

5. For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty.

6. Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; yea, your own lips testify against you.

7. Were you the first man born? Or were you made before the hills?

8. Have you heard the secret counsel of God? And do you limit wisdom to yourself?

9. What do you know that we do not know, or what do you understand that we do not?

10. With us are both the gray-headed and the aged, mightier than your father as to days.

11. Are the consolations of God too small with you, even a word dealing gently with you?

12. Why does your heart carry you away? And what do your eyes wink at,

13. That you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?

14. What is man, that he should be clean? And what is he born of a woman that he should be righteous?

15. Behold, He puts no trust in His saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in His sight.

16. How much more abominable and filthy is man, who drinks iniquity like water?

17. I will show you; hear me; and what I have seen I will declare,

18. That which wise men have told, and have not hidden from their fathers;

19. To them alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.

20. The wicked man labors in pain all his days, and numbered are the years stored up for the ruthless.

21. A dreadful sound of things is in his ears; while at peace the destroyer shall come upon him.

22. He does not believe that he shall return out of darkness, but he is destined for the sword.

23. He wanders for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’ He knows that the day of darkness is ready at hand.

24. Trouble and anguish shall terrify him; they shall overpower him, as a king ready for the battle;

25. Because he stretches out his hand against God, and sets himself against the Almighty.

26. He runs at Him, with a stiff neck, with the thick layers of his shields,

27. Because he has covered his face with fatness; he has put fat on his loins.

28. And he lives in desolate cities, in houses where none are living, which are ready to become heaps.

29. He shall not be rich, nor shall his possessions continue, nor shall he spread out his possessions over the earth.

30. He shall not escape from darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of His mouth he shall turn away.

31. Let not him who is deceived trust in vanity; for vanity shall be his reward.

32. It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.

33. He shall shake off its unripe grape as the vine; and shall cast off his flower like the olive.

34. For the company of the ungodly shall be barren, and fire shall devour the tents of bribery.

35. They conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity, and their belly prepares deceit.”