New King James 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 empty knowledge, And fill himself with the east wind?

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

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

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

4Yes, you cast off fear, And restrain prayer 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; Yes, 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 made before the hills?

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

8Have you heard the counsel of God? 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 in 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, Much older than your father.

10"Both 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?

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 what do your eyes wink at,

12"Why 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 should turn your spirit against God And allow such words to go 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?

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

15If God puts no trust in His saints, 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 man, who is abominable and filthy, Who drinks iniquity like water!

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

17“I will tell you, hear me; 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 have told, Not hiding anything received from their fathers,

18What wise men have told, And have not concealed 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 alien passed among them.

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

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 comes 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 from darkness, For a sword is waiting for him.

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

23He wanders about 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.

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

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 acts defiantly against the Almighty,

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

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

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

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

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

28He dwells in desolate cities, In houses which no one inhabits, Which are destined to become 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, Nor will his wealth continue, Nor will his possessions overspread 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 out his branches, And by the breath of His mouth he will go away.

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 futile things, deceiving himself, For futility will be his reward.

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

32It will be accomplished 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 a vine, And cast off his blossom like an 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 hypocrites will be barren, And fire will consume 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 bring forth futility; Their womb prepares deceit.”

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

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