Job 15:18-28

18 sapientes confitentur et non abscondunt patres suos
19 quibus solis data est terra et non transibit alienus per eos
20 cunctis diebus suis impius superbit et numerus annorum incertus est tyrannidis eius
21 sonitus terroris semper in auribus illius et cum pax sit ille insidias suspicatur
22 non credit quod reverti possit de tenebris circumspectans undique gladium
23 cum se moverit ad quaerendum panem novit quod paratus sit in manu eius tenebrarum dies
24 terrebit eum tribulatio et angustia vallabit eum sicut regem qui praeparatur ad proelium
25 tetendit enim adversus Deum manum suam et contra Omnipotentem roboratus est
26 cucurrit adversus eum erecto collo et pingui cervice armatus est
27 operuit faciem eius crassitudo et de lateribus eius arvina dependet
28 habitavit in civitatibus desolatis et in domibus desertis quae in tumulos sunt redactae

Job 15:18-28 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 Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.