Eliphaz Says Job’s Lips Answer Against Him

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2“Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge

And fill his belly with the east wind?

3Should he argue with a word that cannot be used,

Or with speech which is not profitable?

4Indeed, you annul reverent fear

And cut off musing before God.

5For your iniquity teaches your mouth,

And you choose the tongue of the crafty.

6Your own mouth condemns you, and not I;

And your own lips answer against you.

7“Were you the first man to be born,

Or were you brought forth before the hills?

8Do you hear the secret counsel of God,

And cut down wisdom only unto yourself?

9What do you know that we do not know?

What do you understand that is not with us?

10Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us,

Older than your father.

11Are the consolations of God too small for you,

Even the word spoken gently with you?

12Why does your heart take you away?

And why do your eyes flash,

13That you should turn your spirit against God

And allow such words to go out of your mouth?

14What is man, that he should be pure,

Or he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

15Behold, He puts no faith in His holy ones,

And the heavens are not pure in His sight;

16How much less one who is abominable and corrupt,

Man, who drinks [†]unrighteousness like water!

17“I will tell you, listen to me;

And what I have beheld I will also recount;

18What wise men have told,

And have not concealed from their fathers,

19To whom alone the land was given,

And no stranger passed among them.

20The wicked man writhes in pain all his days,

And [†]numbered are the years stored up for the ruthless.

21[†]Sounds of dread are in his ears;

While at peace the destroyer comes upon him.

22He does not believe that he will return from darkness,

And he is destined for the sword.

23He wanders about for food, saying, ‘Where is it?’

He knows that a day of darkness is ready at his hand.

24Distress and anguish terrify him;

They overpower him like a king ready for the attack,

25Because he has stretched out his hand against God

And magnifies himself against [†]the Almighty.

26He rushes [†]headlong at Him

With [†]his massive shield.

27For he has covered his face with his fat

And made his thighs heavy with flesh.

28He has dwelt in desolate cities,

In houses no one would inhabit,

Which are destined to become [†]ruins.

29He will not become rich, nor will his wealth endure;

And his grain will not stretch out over the land.

30He will not be able to [†]depart from darkness;

The flame will wither his shoots,

And by the breath of His mouth he will depart.

31Let him not believe in emptiness, deceiving himself;

For emptiness will be his [†]reward,

32When his days are not yet fulfilled,

And his palm branch is not green.

33He will drop off his unripe grape like the vine,

And will cast off his flower like the olive tree.

34For the company of the godless is barren,

And fire consumes the tents of [†]the corrupt.

35They conceive [†]trouble and give birth to wickedness,

And their [†]belly prepares deception.”