Eliphaz: Job Does Not Fear God

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

2“Does a wise one answer with knowledge of wind,

and fill his belly with the east wind?

3Should he reason with a word that does not benefit,

and with words without profit in them?

4Indeed, you break apart fear,

and diminish meditation before the face of God.

5For your iniquity teaches your mouth,

and you choose the tongue of the crafty.

6Your own mouth declares you wicked, and not I;

and your lips testify against you.

7Were you born as the first man?

And were you formed before the face of the hills?

8Do you listen in the council of God,

and reduce to yourself wisdom?

9What do you know that we do not know?

What do you understand that is not with us?

10Even the gray-haired and the aged are with us—

greater than your father in days.

11Are the consolations of God too small for you,

or a word in gentleness to you?

12Why does your heart carry you away,

and why do your eyes flash,†

13that you should turn your spirit against God,

and bring out such words out of your mouth?

14What is man that he should be pure,

or that he should be righteous, one born of woman?

15Behold, He does not trust in His holy ones,

and the heavens are not pure in His eyes;

16also surely the abominable and corrupt one

is a man drinking iniquity like water!

17I will tell you! Listen to me,

and this that I have seen I will recount—

18what the wise have brought forward

and have not concealed from their fathers,

19to whom alone the land was given,

and a stranger did not pass over among them.

20All the days of the wicked, he is writhing,

and the number of years is hidden for the ruthless.

21The voice of dread is in his ears;

in prosperity, the destroyer comes upon him.

22He is not sure to return from darkness,

and he is watched over unto the sword.

23He is is wandering for bread for vultures,

knowing that a day of darkness is ready at his hand.

24Distress and anguish terrify him;

they prevail against him like a king ready for the attack.

25For he stretched out his hand against God,

and against Shaddai† he sought to prevail,

26running against Him with the neck,

with thickness of the bosses of his shields.

27For he has covered his face with his fat,

and made thick fat upon his loin.

28And he dwells in desolate cities, houses in which they do not dwell,

which are ready to be heaps.

29He will not be rich, and his wealth will not stand,

nor will his possessions stretch out over the earth.

30He will not turn aside from darkness;

the flame will dry out his shoot,

and he will turn aside at the breath of His mouth.

31Do not let him trust in emptiness, deceiving himself,

for emptiness will be his recompense.

32Not in his day will it be fulfilled,

and his branch will not be green.

33He will shake off his unripe grape like a vine,

and he will cast off his blossom like an olive tree.

34For the company of the godless is barren,

and fire will consume the tents of bribery.

35They conceive trouble and give birth to inquity,

and their belly prepares deceit.”