Job 15
New International Reader's Version
The Second Speech of Eliphaz
15 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied,
2 “Job, would a wise person answer with a lot of meaningless talk?
Would they fill their stomach with the hot east wind?
3 Would they argue with useless words?
Would they give worthless speeches?
4 But you even cause others to lose their respect for God.
You make it hard for them to be faithful to him.
5 Your sin makes you say evil things.
You talk like people who twist the truth.
6 Your own mouth judges you, not mine.
Your own lips witness against you.
7 “Are you the first man who was ever born?
Were you created before the hills?
8 Do you listen in when God speaks with his angels?
Do you think you are the only wise person?
9 What do you know that we don’t know?
What understanding do you have that we don’t have?
10 People who are old and gray are on our side.
And they are even older than your parents!
11 Aren’t God’s words of comfort enough for you?
He speaks them to you gently.
12 Why have you let your wild ideas carry you away?
Why do your eyes flash with anger?
13 Why do you get so angry with God?
Why do words like those pour out of your mouth?
14 “Can human beings really be pure?
Can those who are born really be right with God?
15 God doesn’t trust his holy angels.
Even the heavens aren’t pure in his sight.
16 So he’ll certainly find fault with human beings.
After all, they are evil and sinful.
They drink up evil as if it were water.
17 “Listen to me. I’ll explain things to you.
Let me tell you what I’ve seen.
18 I’ll tell you what those who are wise have said.
They don’t hide anything they’ve received
from their people of long ago.
19 The land was given only to those people.
Their wisdom didn’t come from outsiders.
And here’s what those who are wise have said.
20 Sinful people always suffer pain.
Mean people suffer all their lives.
21 Terrifying sounds fill their ears.
When everything seems to be going well,
robbers attack them.
22 They lose all hope of escaping the darkness of death.
They will certainly be killed by swords.
23 Like vultures, they look around for food.
They know that the day they will die is near.
24 Suffering and pain terrify them.
Their troubles overpower them,
like a king ready to attack his enemies.
25 They shake their fists at God.
They brag about themselves and oppose the Mighty One.
26 They boldly charge against him
with their thick, strong shields.
27 “Their faces are very fat.
Their stomachs hang out.
28 They’ll live in towns that have been destroyed.
They’ll live in houses where no one else lives.
The houses will crumble to pieces.
29 They won’t be rich anymore. Their wealth won’t last.
Their property will no longer spread out over the land.
30 They won’t escape the darkness of death.
A flame will dry up everything they have.
The breath of God will blow them away.
31 Don’t let them fool themselves
by trusting in what is worthless.
They won’t get anything out of it.
32 Even before they die, they will dry up.
No matter what they do, it won’t succeed.
33 They’ll be like vines
that are stripped of their unripe grapes.
They’ll be like olive trees
that drop their flowers.
34 People who are ungodly won’t have any children.
Fire will burn up the tents of people who accept money
from those who want special favors.
35 Instead of having children,
ungodly people create suffering.
All they produce is evil.
They are full of lies.”
Job 15
King James Version
15 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
2 Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?
4 Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.
5 For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
7 Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?
8 Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
9 What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?
10 With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.
11 Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?
12 Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,
13 That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?
14 What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
15 Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
16 How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?
17 I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;
18 Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:
19 Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.
20 The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.
21 A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.
22 He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.
23 He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24 Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
25 For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.
26 He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:
27 Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.
28 And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.
29 He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.
30 He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.
31 Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.
32 It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.
33 He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.
34 For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.
35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.
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