International Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Then Eliphaz from Teman responded:

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,

2"Should a wise person respond with knowledge based on wind? Should he fill his stomach with a wind storm from the east?

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

3Should he engage in unprofitable argument, or give a speech that benefits no one?

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

4Yet you dispense with fear of God and hinder meditations before God.

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

5Because your sin dictates your speech, you have chosen the language of the crafty.

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

6Your own mouth is condemning you, not I; your own lips will testify against you."

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

7"Were you the first person to be born? Were you brought forth before the hills were made?

7"Were you the first man to be born, Or were you brought forth before the hills?

8Have you listened in on God's secret council? Have you limited wisdom only to yourself?

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

9What do you know that we don't know, or that you understand and that isn't clear to us?

9"What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that we do not?

10"We have both the gray-haired and the aged with us, and they are far older than your father.

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

11Are God's encouragements inconsequential to you, even a word that has been spoken gently to you?

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

12Why have your emotions carried 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 anger against God and speak words like this?

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

14"What is mankind, that he can be blameless? Or does being born of a woman mean he'll be in the right?

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

15Look, if God doesn't trust his holy ones, if even the heavens aren't pure as he looks at them,

15"Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones, And the heavens are not pure in His sight;

16then how much less is one who is abhorred and corrupted, such as a man who drinks injustice like water?"

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

17"I'll tell you what, listen to me! Let me relate what I've seen,

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

18which is what wise men have explained, who didn't withhold anything from their ancestors.

18What wise men have told, And have not concealed from their fathers,

19To them alone was the land given, when no invader passed through their midst.

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

20"The wicked person writhes in pain throughout his life, a number of years has been reserved for the ruthless.

20"The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, And numbered are the years stored up for the ruthless.

21Terrifying sounds ring in his ears; when times are prosperous, the Destroyer will attack him.

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

22He does not believe he will escape 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 around for food—where is it? He knows that a time of darkness is near.

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

24Distress and pressure terrify him; they overwhelm him, like a king poised for attack.

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

25"For he has raised his fist against God, defying the Almighty.

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

26He defiantly ran against him carrying his thick, reinforced shield.

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

27Though he covered his face with fat, and is grossly overweight at the waist,

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

28He will live in devastated towns, in abandoned houses that are about to become heaps of rubble.

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

29"He won't become rich and his wealth won't last; he won't expand his holdings to cover the land.

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

30He won't escape darkness; a flame will wither his shoots; and he'll depart by the breath of God's mouth.

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 a worthless speech. He leads only himself astray, for emptiness will be his reward.

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

32This will be accomplished before his time; his branches won't grow luxuriant.

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

33"He is like a vine that drops its unripe grapes; like an olive tree that loses 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 is desolation, and fire consumes the tents of those who bribe.

34"For the company of the godless is barren, And fire consumes the tents of the corrupt.

35For they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity; their womb is pregnant with deception."

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

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

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