New American Standard Bible 1995 | International Standard Version |
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded, | 1Then Eliphaz from Teman responded: |
2"Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge And fill himself with the east wind? | 2"Should a wise person respond with knowledge based on wind? Should he fill his stomach with a wind storm from the east? |
3"Should he argue with useless talk, Or with words which are not profitable? | 3Should he engage in unprofitable argument, or give a speech that benefits no one? |
4"Indeed, you do away with reverence And hinder meditation before God. | 4Yet you dispense with fear of God and hinder meditations before God. |
5"For your guilt teaches your mouth, And you choose the language of the crafty. | 5Because your sin dictates your speech, you have chosen the language of the crafty. |
6"Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; And your own lips testify against you. | 6Your own mouth is condemning you, not I; your own lips will testify against you." |
7"Were you the first man to be born, Or were you brought forth before the hills? | 7"Were you the first person to be born? Were you brought forth before the hills were made? |
8"Do you hear the secret counsel of God, And limit wisdom to yourself? | 8Have you listened in on God's secret council? Have you limited wisdom only to yourself? |
9"What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that we do not? | 9What do you know that we don't know, or that you understand and that isn't clear to us? |
10"Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, Older than your father. | 10"We have both the gray-haired and the aged with us, and they are far older than your father. |
11"Are the consolations of God too small for you, Even the word spoken gently with you? | 11Are God's encouragements inconsequential to you, even a word that has been spoken gently to you? |
12"Why does your heart carry you away? And why do your eyes flash, | 12Why have your emotions carried 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? | 13that you turn your anger against God and speak words like this? |
14"What is man, that he should be pure, Or he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? | 14"What is mankind, that he can be blameless? Or does being born of a woman mean he'll be in the right? |
15"Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones, And the heavens are not pure in His sight; | 15Look, if God doesn't trust his holy ones, if even the heavens aren't pure as he looks at them, |
16How much less one who is detestable and corrupt, Man, who drinks iniquity like water! | 16then how much less is one who is abhorred and corrupted, such as a man who drinks injustice like water?" |
17"I will tell you, listen to me; And what I have seen I will also declare; | 17"I'll tell you what, listen to me! Let me relate what I've seen, |
18What wise men have told, And have not concealed from their fathers, | 18which is what wise men have explained, who didn't withhold anything from their ancestors. |
19To whom alone the land was given, And no alien passed among them. | 19To them alone was the land given, when no invader passed through their midst. |
20"The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, And numbered are the years stored up for the ruthless. | 20"The wicked person writhes in pain throughout his life, a number of years has been reserved for the ruthless. |
21"Sounds of terror are in his ears; While at peace the destroyer comes upon him. | 21Terrifying sounds ring in his ears; when times are prosperous, the Destroyer will attack him. |
22"He does not believe that he will return from darkness, And he is destined for the sword. | 22He does not believe he will escape darkness; he is destined for the sword. |
23"He wanders about for food, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that a day of darkness is at hand. | 23He wanders around for food—where is it? He knows that a time of darkness is near. |
24"Distress and anguish terrify him, They overpower him like a king ready for the attack, | 24Distress and pressure terrify him; they overwhelm him, like a king poised for attack. |
25Because he has stretched out his hand against God And conducts himself arrogantly against the Almighty. | 25"For he has raised his fist against God, defying the Almighty. |
26"He rushes headlong at Him With his massive shield. | 26He defiantly ran against him carrying his thick, reinforced shield. |
27"For he has covered his face with his fat And made his thighs heavy with flesh. | 27Though he covered his face with fat, and is grossly overweight at the waist, |
28"He has lived in desolate cities, In houses no one would inhabit, Which are destined to become ruins. | 28He will live in devastated towns, in abandoned houses that are about to become heaps of rubble. |
29"He will not become rich, nor will his wealth endure; And his grain will not bend down to the ground. | 29"He won't become rich and his wealth won't last; he won't expand his holdings to cover the land. |
30"He will not escape from darkness; The flame will wither his shoots, And by the breath of His mouth he will go away. | 30He won't escape darkness; a flame will wither his shoots; and he'll depart by the breath of God's mouth. |
31"Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; For emptiness will be his reward. | 31Let him not trust in a worthless speech. He leads only himself astray, for emptiness will be his reward. |
32"It will be accomplished before his time, And his palm branch will not be green. | 32This will be accomplished before his time; his branches won't grow luxuriant. |
33"He will drop off his unripe grape like the vine, And will cast off his flower like the olive tree. | 33"He is like a vine that drops its unripe grapes; like an olive tree that loses its blossoms. |
34"For the company of the godless is barren, And fire consumes the tents of the corrupt. | 34For the company of the godless is desolation, and fire consumes the tents of those who bribe. |
35"They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity, And their mind prepares deception." | 35For they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity; their womb is pregnant with deception." |
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 | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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