| Common English Bible (CEB) |
New International Version (NIV) |
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1 Eliphaz answered:
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1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
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2 Will the wise respond with windy knowledge and fill their belly with the east wind?
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2 "Would a wise man answer with empty notions or fill his belly with the hot east wind?
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3 Will they argue with a word that has no benefit and with unprofitable words?
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3 Would he argue with useless words, with speeches that have no value?
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4 You are truly making religion ineffective and restraining meditation before God.
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4 But you even undermine piety and hinder devotion to God.
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5 Your mouth multiplies your sins a thousand times; you opt for a clever tongue.
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5 Your sin prompts your mouth; you adopt the tongue of the crafty.
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6 Your mouth condemns you, not I; your lips argue against you.
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6 Your own mouth condemns you, not mine; your own lips testify against you.
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7 Were you born the first Adam, brought forth before the hills?
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7 "Are you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?
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8 Did you listen in God's council; is wisdom limited to you?
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8 Do you listen in on God's council? Do you limit wisdom to yourself ?
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9 What do you know that we don't know; what do you understand that isn't among us?
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9 What do you know that we do not know? What insights do you have that we do not have?
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10 Both the graybeard and the aged are with us; those much older than your father.
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10 The gray-haired and the aged are on our side, men even older than your father.
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11 Are God's comforts not enough for you, a word spoken gently with you?
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11 Are God's consolations not enough for you, words spoken gently to you?
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12 Why has your mind seized you, why have your eyes flashed,
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12 Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,
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13 so that you return your breath to God and utter such words from your mouth?
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13 so that you vent your rage against God and pour out such words from your mouth?
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14 What are humans that they might be pure, and those born of woman that they might be innocent?
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14 "What is man, that he could be pure, or one born of woman, that he could be righteous?
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15 If he doesn't trust his holy ones and the heavens aren't pure in his eyes,
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15 If God places no trust in his holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,
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16 how much less those who are abominable and corrupt, for they drink sin like water.
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16 how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks up evil like water!
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17 Listen to me; I will argue with you; what I've seen, I will declare to you;
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17 "Listen to me and I will explain to you; let me tell you what I have seen,
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18 what the wise have told and have not concealed from their family,
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18 what wise men have declared, hiding nothing received from their fathers
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19 to whom alone the earth was given and no stranger passed in their midst.
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19 (to whom alone the land was given when no alien passed among them):
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20 All the days of the wicked are painful; the number of years reserved for the hateful;
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20 All his days the wicked man suffers torment, the ruthless through all the years stored up for him.
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21 a sound of terror pierces their ears; when safe, raiders overtake them.
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21 Terrifying sounds fill his ears; when all seems well, marauders attack him.
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22 They can't count on turning away from darkness; they are destined for a sword.
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22 He despairs of escaping the darkness; he is marked for the sword.
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23 They wander about for bread. "Where is it?" They know that their day of darkness is fixed.
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23 He wanders about--food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
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24 Adversity and stress scare them, master them like a king ready to strike;
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24 Distress and anguish fill him with terror; they overwhelm him, like a king poised to attack,
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25 for they raise a fist against God and try to overpower the Almighty.
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25 because he shakes his fist at God and vaunts himself against the Almighty,
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26 They run toward him aggressively, with a massive and strong shield.
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26 defiantly charging against him with a thick, strong shield.
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27 They cover their face with grease and make their loins gross.
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27 "Though his face is covered with fat and his waist bulges with flesh,
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28 They lived in ruined cities, unoccupied houses that turn to rubble.
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28 he will inhabit ruined towns and houses where no one lives, houses crumbling to rubble.
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29 They won't get rich; their wealth won't last; their property won't extend over the earth.
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29 He will no longer be rich and his wealth will not endure, nor will his possessions spread over the land.
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30 They can't turn away from darkness; a flame will dry out their shoots, and they will be taken away by the wind from his mouth.
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30 He will not escape the darkness; a flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God's mouth will carry him away.
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31 They shouldn't trust in what has no worth, for their reward will be worthless.
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31 Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless, for he will get nothing in return.
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32 Before their branch is formed, before it is green,
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32 Before his time he will be paid in full, and his branches will not flourish.
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33 like the vine, they will drop early grapes and cast off their blossoms like the olive.
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33 He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree shedding its blossoms.
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34 The ruthless gang is barren, and fire consumes the tents of bribers.
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34 For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of those who love bribes.
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35 They conceive toil and give birth to sorrow; their belly establishes deceit.
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35 They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb fashions deceit."
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| Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible (Common English Bible) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
