Job 15:1-10

1 Alors Éliphaz, de Théman, prit la parole, et dit:
2 Le sage répond-il par une science vaine, et remplit-il de vent sa poitrine?
3 Discute-t-il avec des propos qui ne servent de rien, et avec des paroles sans profit?
4 Bien plus, tu abolis la piété, et tu détruis la prière qui s'adresse à Dieu.
5 Ton iniquité inspire ta bouche, et tu as choisi le langage des rusés.
6 Ta bouche te condamne, et non pas moi; et tes lèvres témoignent contre toi.
7 Es-tu le premier-né des hommes, et as-tu été formé avant les montagnes?
8 As-tu entendu ce qui s'est dit dans le conseil de Dieu, et as-tu pris pour toi la sagesse?
9 Que sais-tu que nous ne sachions? Quelle connaissance as-tu que nous n'ayons aussi?
10 Il y a aussi parmi nous des cheveux blancs, des vieillards, plus riches de jours que ton père.

Job 15:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 15

Job's three friends having in their turns attacked him, and he having given answer respectively to them, Eliphaz, who began the attack, first enters the debate with him again, and proceeds upon the same plan as before, and endeavours to defend his former sentiments, falling upon Job with greater vehemence and severity; he charges him with vanity, imprudence, and unprofitableness in his talk, and acting a part unbecoming his character as a wise man; yea, with impiety and a neglect of religion, or at least as a discourager of it by his words and doctrines, of which his mouth and lips were witnesses against him, Job 15:1-6; he charges him with arrogance and a high conceit of himself, as if he was the first man that was made, nay, as if he was the eternal wisdom of God, and had been in his council; and, to check his vanity, retorts his own words upon him, or however the sense of them, Job 15:7-10; and also with slighting the consolations of God; upon which he warmly expostulates with him, Job 15:11-13; and in order to convince him of his self-righteousness, which he thought he was full of, he argues from the angels, the heavens, and the general case of man, Job 15:14-16; and then he declares from his own knowledge, and from the relation of wise and ancient men in former times, who made it their observation, that wicked men are afflicted all their days, attended with terror and despair, and liable to various calamities, Job 15:17-24; the reasons of which are their insolence to God, and hostilities committed against him, which they are encouraged in by their prosperous circumstances, Job 15:25-27; notwithstanding all, their estates, riches, and wealth, will come to nothing, Job 15:28-30; and the chapter is closed with an exhortation to such, not to feed themselves up with vain hopes, or trust in uncertain riches, since their destruction would be sure, sudden, and terrible, Job 15:31-35.

The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.