Jó 15

Elifaz

1 Então Elifaz, de Temã, respondeu:

2 “Responderia o sábio com ideias vãs,ou encheria o estômago com o vento?

3 Argumentaria com palavras inúteis,com discursos sem valor?

4 Mas você sufoca a piedadee diminui a devoção a Deus.

5 O seu pecado motiva a sua boca;você adota a linguagem dos astutos.

6 É a sua própria boca que o condena, e não a minha;os seus próprios lábios depõem contra você.

7 “Será que você foi o primeiro a nascer?Acaso foi gerado antes das colinas?

8 Você costuma ouvir o conselho secreto de Deus?Só a você pertence a sabedoria?

9 O que você sabe, que nós não sabemos?Que compreensão tem você, que nós não temos?

10 Temos do nosso lado homens de cabelos brancos,muito mais velhos que o seu pai.

11 Não bastam para você as consolações divinase as nossas palavras amáveis?

12 Por que você se deixa levar pelo coração,e por que esse brilho nos seus olhos?

13 Pois contra Deus é que você dirige a sua irae despeja da sua boca essas palavras!

14 “Como o homem pode ser puro?Como pode ser justo quem nasce de mulher?

15 Pois, se nem nos seus santos Deus confia,e se nem os céus são puros aos seus olhos,

16 quanto menos o homem, que é impuro e corrupto,e que bebe iniquidade como água.

17 “Escute-me, e eu explicarei para você;vou dizer a você o que vi,

18 o que os sábios declaramsem esconder o que receberam dos seus pais,

19 a quem foi dada a terra, e a mais ninguém;nenhum estrangeiro passou entre eles:

20 O ímpio sofre tormentos a vida toda,como também o homem cruel,nos poucos anos que lhe são reservados.

21 Só ouve ruídos aterrorizantes;quando se sente em paz, ladrões o atacam.

22 Não tem esperança de escapar das trevas;sente-se destinado ao fio da espada.

23 Fica perambulando; é comida para os abutres;^[a]sabe muito bem que logo virão sobre ele as trevas.

24 A aflição e a angústiao apavoram e o dominam como um rei pronto para atacar,

25 porque agitou os punhos contra Deuse desafiou o Todo-poderoso,

26 afrontando-o com arrogância,com um escudo grosso e resistente.

27 “Apesar de ter o rosto coberto de gordurae a cintura estufada de carne,

28 habitará em cidades prestes a arruinar-se,em casas inabitáveis,caindo aos pedaços.

29 Nunca mais será rico; sua riqueza não durará,e os seus bens não se propagarão pela terra.

30 Não poderá escapar das trevas;o fogo chamuscará os seus renovos,e o sopro da boca de Deus o arrebatará.

31 Que ele não se iluda em confiar no que não tem valor,pois nada receberá como compensação.

32 Terá completa paga antes do tempo,e os seus ramos não florescerão.

33 Será como a vinha despojada de suas uvas verdes,como a oliveira que perdeu a sua floração,

34 pois o companheirismo dos ímpios nada lhe trará,e o fogo devorará as tendas dos que gostam de subornar.

35 Eles concebem maldade e dão à luz a iniquidade;seu ventre gera engano”.

Jó 15 Commentary

Chapter 15

Eliphaz reproves Job. (1-16) The unquietness of wicked men. (17-35)

Verses 1-16 Eliphaz begins a second attack upon Job, instead of being softened by his complaints. He unjustly charges Job with casting off the fear of God, and all regard to him, and restraining prayer. See in what religion is summed up, fearing God, and praying to him; the former the most needful principle, the latter the most needful practice. Eliphaz charges Job with self-conceit. He charges him with contempt of the counsels and comforts given him by his friends. We are apt to think that which we ourselves say is important, when others, with reason, think little of it. He charges him with opposition to God. Eliphaz ought not to have put harsh constructions upon the words of one well known for piety, and now in temptation. It is plain that these disputants were deeply convinced of the doctrine of original sin, and the total depravity of human nature. Shall we not admire the patience of God in bearing with us? and still more his love to us in the redemption of Christ Jesus his beloved Son?

Verses 17-35 Eliphaz maintains that the wicked are certainly miserable: whence he would infer, that the miserable are certainly wicked, and therefore Job was so. But because many of God's people have prospered in this world, it does not therefore follow that those who are crossed and made poor, as Job, are not God's people. Eliphaz shows also that wicked people, particularly oppressors, are subject to continual terror, live very uncomfortably, and perish very miserably. Will the prosperity of presumptuous sinners end miserably as here described? Then let the mischiefs which befal others, be our warnings. Though no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous, nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby. No calamity, no trouble, however heavy, however severe, can rob a follower of the Lord of his favour. What shall separate him from the love of Christ?

Footnotes

• [a] Ou "Fica perambulando em busca de pão;"

Chapter Summary

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.