Job 15 (New International Version)

Eliphaz

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite¹ replied: 2 "Would a wise man answer with empty notions or fill his belly with the hot east wind?² 3 Would he argue with useless words, with speeches that have no value?³ 4 But you even undermine piety and hinder devotion to God.⁴ 5 Your sin⁵ prompts your mouth;⁶ you adopt the tongue of the crafty.⁷ 6 Your own mouth condemns you, not mine; your own lips testify against you.⁸ 7 "Are you the first man ever born?⁹ Were you brought forth before the hills?¹⁰ 8 Do you listen in on God's council?¹¹ Do you limit wisdom to yourself ?¹² 9 What do you know that we do not know? What insights do you have that we do not have?¹³ 10 The gray-haired and the aged¹⁴ are on our side, men even older than your father.¹⁵ 11 Are God's consolations¹⁶ not enough for you, words¹⁷ spoken gently to you?¹⁸ 12 Why has your heart¹⁹ carried you away, and why do your eyes flash, 13 so that you vent your rage²⁰ against God and pour out such words²¹ from your mouth?²² 14 "What is man, that he could be pure, or one born of woman,²³ that he could be righteous?²⁴ 15 If God places no trust in his holy ones,²⁵ if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,²⁶ 16 how much less man, who is vile and corrupt,²⁷ who drinks up evil²⁸ like water!²⁹ 17 "Listen to me and I will explain to you; let me tell you what I have seen,³⁰ 18 what wise men have declared, hiding nothing received from their fathers³¹ 19 (to whom alone the land³² was given when no alien passed among them): 20 All his days the wicked man suffers torment,³³ the ruthless through all the years stored up for him.³⁴ 21 Terrifying sounds fill his ears;³⁵ when all seems well, marauders attack him.³⁶ 22 He despairs of escaping the darkness;³⁷ he is marked for the sword.³⁸ 23 He wanders about³⁹--food for vultures^a;⁴⁰ he knows the day of darkness⁴¹ is at hand.⁴² 24 Distress and anguish⁴³ fill him with terror;⁴⁴ they overwhelm him, like a king⁴⁵ poised to attack, 25 because he shakes his fist⁴⁶ at God and vaunts himself against the Almighty,⁴⁷ 26 defiantly charging against him with a thick, strong shield.⁴⁸ 27 "Though his face is covered with fat and his waist bulges with flesh,⁴⁹ 28 he will inhabit ruined towns and houses where no one lives,⁵⁰ houses crumbling to rubble.⁵¹ 29 He will no longer be rich and his wealth will not endure,⁵² nor will his possessions spread over the land.⁵³ 30 He will not escape the darkness;⁵⁴ a flame⁵⁵ will wither his shoots,⁵⁶ and the breath of God's mouth⁵⁷ will carry him away.⁵⁸ 31 Let him not deceive⁵⁹ himself by trusting what is worthless,⁶⁰ for he will get nothing in return.⁶¹ 32 Before his time⁶² he will be paid in full,⁶³ and his branches will not flourish.⁶⁴ 33 He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes,⁶⁵ like an olive tree shedding its blossoms.⁶⁶ 34 For the company of the godless⁶⁷ will be barren, and fire will consume⁶⁸ the tents of those who love bribes.⁶⁹ 35 They conceive trouble⁷⁰ and give birth to evil;⁷¹ their womb fashions deceit."