New King James Version

English Standard Version

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

2“Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge, And fill himself with the east wind?

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

3Should he reason with unprofitable talk, Or by speeches with which he can do no good?

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

4Yes, you cast off fear, And restrain prayer before God.

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

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

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

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

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

7“Are you the first man who was born? Or were you made before the hills?

7“Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought forth before the hills?

8Have you heard the counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?

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

9What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not in us?

9What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not clear to us?

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

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

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

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

12Why does your heart carry you away, And what do your eyes wink at,

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

13That you turn your spirit against God, And let such words go out of your mouth?

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

14“What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?

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

15If God puts no trust in His saints, And the heavens are not pure in His sight,

15Behold, God puts no trust in his holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in his sight;

16How much less man, who is abominable and filthy, Who drinks iniquity like water!

16how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks injustice like water!

17“I will tell you, hear me; What I have seen I will declare,

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

18What wise men have told, Not hiding anything received from their fathers,

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

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

19to whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them).

20The wicked man writhes with pain all his days, And the number of years is hidden from the oppressor.

20The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, through all the years that are laid up for the ruthless.

21Dreadful sounds are in his ears; In prosperity the destroyer comes upon him.

21Dreadful sounds are in his ears; in prosperity the destroyer will come upon him.

22He does not believe that he will return from darkness, For a sword is waiting for him.

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

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

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

24Trouble and anguish make him afraid; They overpower him, like a king ready for battle.

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

25For he stretches out his hand against God, And acts defiantly against the Almighty,

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

26Running stubbornly against Him With his strong, embossed shield.

26running stubbornly against him with a thickly bossed shield;

27“Though he has covered his face with his fatness, And made his waist heavy with fat,

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

28He dwells in desolate cities, In houses which no one inhabits, Which are destined to become ruins.

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

29He will not be rich, Nor will his wealth continue, Nor will his possessions overspread the earth.

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

30He will not depart from darkness; The flame will dry out his branches, And by the breath of His mouth he will go away.

30he will not depart from darkness; the flame will dry up his shoots, and by the breath of his mouth he will depart.

31Let him not trust in futile things, deceiving himself, For futility will be his reward.

31Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his payment.

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

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

33He will shake off his unripe grape like a vine, And cast off his blossom like an olive tree.

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

34For the company of hypocrites will be barren, And fire will consume the tents of bribery.

34For the company of the godless is barren, and fire consumes the tents of bribery.

35They conceive trouble and bring forth futility; Their womb prepares deceit.”

35They conceive trouble and give birth to evil, and their womb prepares deceit.”

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

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.