Christian Standard Bible | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: | 1Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded, |
2Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill himself with the hot east wind? | 2"Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge And fill himself with the east wind? |
3Should he argue with useless talk or with words that serve no good purpose? | 3"Should he argue with useless talk, Or with words which are not profitable? |
4But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before him. | 4"Indeed, you do away with reverence And hinder meditation before God. |
5Your iniquity teaches you what to say, and you choose the language of the crafty. | 5"For your guilt teaches your mouth, And you choose the language of the crafty. |
6Your own mouth condemns you, not I; your own lips testify against you. | 6"Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; And your own lips testify against you. |
7Were you the first human ever born, or were you brought forth before the hills? | 7"Were you the first man to be born, Or were you brought forth before the hills? |
8Do you listen in on the council of God, or have a monopoly on wisdom? | 8"Do you hear the secret counsel of God, And limit wisdom to yourself? |
9What do you know that we don't? What do you understand that is not clear to us? | 9"What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that we do not? |
10Both the gray-haired and the elderly are with us--older than your father. | 10"Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, Older than your father. |
11Are God's consolations not enough for you, even the words that deal gently with you? | 11"Are the consolations of God too small for you, Even the word spoken gently with you? |
12Why has your heart misled you, and why do your eyes flash | 12"Why does your heart carry you away? And why do your eyes flash, |
13as you turn your anger against God and allow such words to leave your mouth? | 13That you should turn your spirit against God And allow such words to go out of your mouth? |
14What is a mere human, that he should be pure, or one born of a woman, that he should be righteous? | 14"What is man, that he should be pure, Or he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? |
15If God puts no trust in his holy ones and the heavens are not pure in his sight, | 15"Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones, And the heavens are not pure in His sight; |
16how much less one who is revolting and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water? | 16How much less one who is detestable and corrupt, Man, who drinks iniquity like water! |
17Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen, | 17"I will tell you, listen to me; And what I have seen I will also declare; |
18what the wise have declared and not concealed, that came from their ancestors, | 18What wise men have told, And have not concealed from their fathers, |
19to whom alone the land was given when no foreigner passed among them. | 19To whom alone the land was given, And no alien passed among them. |
20A wicked person writhes in pain all his days, throughout the number of years reserved for the ruthless. | 20"The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, And numbered are the years stored up for the ruthless. |
21Dreadful sounds fill his ears; when he is at peace, a robber attacks him. | 21"Sounds of terror are in his ears; While at peace the destroyer comes upon him. |
22He doesn't believe he will return from darkness; he is destined for the sword. | 22"He does not believe that he will return from darkness, And he is destined for the sword. |
23He wanders about for food, asking, "Where is it?" He knows the day of darkness is at hand. | 23"He wanders about for food, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that a day of darkness is at hand. |
24Trouble and distress terrify him, overwhelming him like a king prepared for battle. | 24"Distress and anguish terrify him, They overpower him like a king ready for the attack, |
25For he has stretched out his hand against God and has arrogantly opposed the Almighty. | 25Because he has stretched out his hand against God And conducts himself arrogantly against the Almighty. |
26He rushes headlong at him with his thick, studded shields. | 26"He rushes headlong at Him With his massive shield. |
27Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with it, | 27"For he has covered his face with his fat And made his thighs heavy with flesh. |
28he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become piles of rubble. | 28"He has lived in desolate cities, In houses no one would inhabit, Which are destined to become ruins. |
29He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not increase in the land. | 29"He will not become rich, nor will his wealth endure; And his grain will not bend down to the ground. |
30He will not escape from the darkness; flames will wither his shoots, and by the breath of God's mouth, he will depart. | 30"He will not escape from darkness; The flame will wither his shoots, And by the breath of His mouth he will go away. |
31Let him not put trust in worthless things, being led astray, for what he gets in exchange will prove worthless. | 31"Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; For emptiness will be his reward. |
32It will be accomplished before his time, and his branch will not flourish. | 32"It will be accomplished before his time, And his palm branch will not be green. |
33He will be like a vine that drops its unripe grapes and like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms. | 33"He 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 will have no children, and fire will consume the tents of those who offer bribes. | 34"For the company of the godless is barren, And fire consumes the tents of the corrupt. |
35They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb prepares deception. | 35"They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity, And their mind prepares deception." |
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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