New International Version NIV
New King James Version NKJV
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
1
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 “Would a wise person answer with empty notions or fill their belly with the hot east wind?
2
"Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge, And fill himself with the east wind?
3 Would they argue with useless words, with speeches that have no value?
3
Should he reason with unprofitable talk, Or by speeches with which he can do no good?
4 But you even undermine piety and hinder devotion to God.
4
Yes, you cast off fear, And restrain prayer before God.
5 Your sin prompts your mouth; you adopt the tongue of the crafty.
5
For your iniquity teaches your mouth, And you choose the tongue of the crafty.
6 Your own mouth condemns you, not mine; your own lips testify against you.
6
Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; Yes, your own lips testify against you.
7 “Are you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?
7
"Are you the first man who was born? Or were you made before the hills?
8 Do you listen in on God’s council? Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?
8
Have you heard the counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
9 What do you know that we do not know? What insights do you have that we do not have?
9
What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not in us?
10 The gray-haired and the aged are on our side, men even older than your father.
10
Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, Much older than your father.
11 Are God’s consolations not enough for you, words spoken gently to you?
11
Are the consolations of God too small for you, And the word spoken gently with you?
12 Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,
12
Why does your heart carry you away, And what do your eyes wink at,
13 so that you vent your rage against God and pour out such words from your mouth?
13
That you turn your spirit against God, And let such words go out of your mouth?
14 “What are mortals, that they could be pure, or those born of woman, that they could be righteous?
14
"What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?
15 If God places no trust in his holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,
15
If God puts no trust in His saints, And the heavens are not pure in His sight,
16 how much less mortals, who are vile and corrupt, who drink up evil like water!
16
How much less man, who is abominable and filthy, Who drinks iniquity like water!
17 “Listen to me and I will explain to you; let me tell you what I have seen,
17
"I will tell you, hear me; What I have seen I will declare,
18 what the wise have declared, hiding nothing received from their ancestors
18
What wise men have told, Not hiding anything received from their fathers,
19 (to whom alone the land was given when no foreigners moved among them):
19
To whom alone the land was given, And no alien passed among them:
20 All his days the wicked man suffers torment, the ruthless man through all the years stored up for him.
20
The wicked man writhes with pain all his days, And the number of years is hidden from the oppressor.
21 Terrifying sounds fill his ears; when all seems well, marauders attack him.
21
Dreadful sounds are in his ears; In prosperity the destroyer comes upon him.
22 He despairs of escaping the realm of darkness; he is marked for the sword.
22
He does not believe that he will return from darkness, For a sword is waiting for him.
23 He wanders about for food like a vulture; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
23
He wanders about for bread, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that a day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24 Distress and anguish fill him with terror; troubles overwhelm him, like a king poised to attack,
24
Trouble and anguish make him afraid; They overpower him, like a king ready for battle.
25 because he shakes his fist at God and vaunts himself against the Almighty,
25
For he stretches out his hand against God, And acts defiantly against the Almighty,
26 defiantly charging against him with a thick, strong shield.
26
Running stubbornly against Him With his strong, embossed shield.
27 “Though his face is covered with fat and his waist bulges with flesh,
27
"Though he has covered his face with his fatness, And made his waist heavy with fat,
28 he will inhabit ruined towns and houses where no one lives, houses crumbling to rubble.
28
He dwells in desolate cities, In houses which no one inhabits, Which are destined to become ruins.
29 He will no longer be rich and his wealth will not endure, nor will his possessions spread over the land.
29
He will not be rich, Nor will his wealth continue, Nor will his possessions overspread the earth.
30 He will not escape the darkness; a flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away.
30
He will not depart from darkness; The flame will dry out his branches, And by the breath of His mouth he will go away.
31 Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless, for he will get nothing in return.
31
Let him not trust in futile things, deceiving himself, For futility will be his reward.
32 Before his time he will wither, and his branches will not flourish.
32
It will be accomplished before his time, And his branch will not be green.
33 He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree shedding its blossoms.
33
He will shake off his unripe grape like a vine, And cast off his blossom like an olive tree.
34 For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of those who love bribes.
34
For the company of hypocrites will be barren, And fire will consume the tents of bribery.
35 They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb fashions deceit.”
35
They conceive trouble and bring forth futility; Their womb prepares deceit."
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.