English Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,

2“Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?

2"Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge And fill himself with the east wind?

3Should he argue in unprofitable talk, or in words with which he can do no good?

3"Should he argue with useless talk, Or with words which are not profitable?

4But you are doing away with the fear of God and hindering meditation before God.

4"Indeed, you do away with reverence And hinder meditation before God.

5For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty.

5"For your guilt teaches your mouth, And you choose the language of the crafty.

6Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; your own lips testify against you.

6"Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; And your own lips testify against you.

7“Are you the first man who was 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?

8Have you listened in the council of God? And do you limit wisdom to yourself?

8"Do you hear the secret counsel of God, And limit wisdom to yourself?

9What do you know that we do not know? 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 aged are among us, older than your father.

10"Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, Older than your father.

11Are the comforts of God too small for you, or the word that deals gently with you?

11"Are the consolations of God too small for you, Even the word spoken gently with you?

12Why does your heart carry you away, and why do your eyes flash,

12"Why does your heart carry you away? And why do your eyes flash,

13that you turn your spirit against God and bring such words out of your mouth?

13That you should turn your spirit against God And allow such words to go out of your mouth?

14What is man, that he can be pure? Or he who is born of a woman, that he can be righteous?

14"What is man, that he should be pure, Or he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

15Behold, 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 abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks injustice like water!

16How much less one who is detestable and corrupt, Man, who drinks iniquity like water!

17“I will show you; hear me, and what I have seen I will declare

17"I will tell you, listen to me; And what I have seen I will also declare;

18(what wise men have told, without hiding it from their fathers,

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).

19To whom alone the land was given, And no alien passed among them.

20The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, through all the years that are laid up 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 are in his ears; in prosperity the destroyer will come upon him.

21"Sounds of terror are in his ears; While at peace the destroyer comes upon him.

22He does not believe that he will return out of darkness, and he is marked for the sword.

22"He does not believe that he will return from darkness, And he is destined for the sword.

23He wanders abroad for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’ He knows that a day of darkness is ready at his hand;

23"He wanders about for food, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that a day of darkness is at hand.

24distress and anguish terrify him; they prevail against him, like a king ready for battle.

24"Distress and anguish terrify him, They overpower him like a king ready for the attack,

25Because he has stretched out his hand against God and defies the Almighty,

25Because he has stretched out his hand against God And conducts himself arrogantly against the Almighty.

26running stubbornly against him with a thickly bossed shield;

26"He rushes headlong at Him With his massive shield.

27because he has covered his face with his fat and gathered fat upon his waist

27"For he has covered his face with his fat And made his thighs heavy with flesh.

28and has lived in desolate cities, in houses that none should inhabit, which were ready to become heaps of ruins;

28"He has lived in desolate cities, In houses no one would inhabit, Which are destined to become ruins.

29he will not be rich, and his wealth will not endure, nor will his possessions spread over the earth;

29"He will not become rich, nor will his wealth endure; And his grain will not bend down to the ground.

30he will not depart from darkness; the flame will dry up his shoots, and by the breath of his 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 trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his payment.

31"Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; For emptiness will be his reward.

32It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not be green.

32"It will be accomplished before his time, And his palm branch will not be green.

33He will shake off his unripe grape like the vine, and cast off his blossom like the olive tree.

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 is barren, and fire consumes the tents of bribery.

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, and their womb prepares deceit.”

35"They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity, And their mind prepares deception."

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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