NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,

2"Does a wise man answer with blustery knowledge, or fill his belly with the east wind?

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

3Does he argue with useless talk, with words that have no value in them?

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

4But you even break off piety, and hinder meditation before God.

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

5Your sin inspires your mouth; 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.

7"Were you the first man ever born? 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 God's secret council? 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 don't know? What do you understand that we don't understand?

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

10The gray-haired and the aged are on our side, men far older than your father.

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

11Are God's consolations too trivial for you; or a word spoken in gentleness to you?

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

12Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,

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

13when you turn your rage against God and allow such words to escape from 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 should be pure, or one born of 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 places no trust in his holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,

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

16how much less man, who is abominable and corrupt, who drinks in evil like water!

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

17"I will explain to you; listen to 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;

18what wise men declare, hiding nothing, from the tradition of 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.

20All his days the wicked man suffers torment, throughout the number of the years that are stored up for the tyrant.

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

21Terrifying sounds fill his ears; in a time of peace marauders attack him.

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

22He does not expect to escape from darkness; 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 about--food for vultures; he knows that 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.

24Distress and anguish terrify him; they prevail against him like a king ready to launch an attack,

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

25for he stretches out his hand against God, and vaunts himself against the Almighty,

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

26defiantly charging against him with a thick, strong shield!

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

27Because he covered his face with fat, and made his hips bulge with fat,

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

28he lived in ruined towns and in houses where no one lives, where they are ready to crumble into heaps.

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

29He will not grow rich, and his wealth will not endure, nor will his possessions spread over 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 the darkness; a flame will wither his shoots and he will 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 what is worthless, deceiving himself; for worthlessness will be his reward.

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

32Before his time he will be paid in full, and his branches will not flourish.

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

33Like a vine he will let his sour grapes fall, and like an olive tree he will shed his 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 barren, and fire consumes the tents of those who accept bribes.

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

35They conceive trouble and bring forth evil; their belly prepares deception."

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

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. //netbible.com. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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