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The Book of Job

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- Chapter 15 -

Eliphaz accuses Job of folly

1
But Eliphaz the Themanite, answering, said:
2
Will a wise man answer as if he were speaking wind, and will he fill his stomach with fire?
3
You rebuke with words he who is not equal to you, and you speak what is not expedient for you,
4
to such an extent that, within yourself, you have expelled reverence and have taken away prayers from the presence of God.(a) (b)
5
For your iniquity has mislead your mouth, and you imitate the tongue of blasphemers.
6
Your own mouth will condemn you, not I; and your own lips will answer you.
7
Are you the first man who was born, or were you formed before the hills?
8
Have you heard the intentions of God, and will his wisdom be inferior to you?
9
What do you know, about which we are ignorant? What do you understand that we do not know?
10
There are with us both aged and ancient men, even more senior than your fathers.
11
Is it so important that God should console you? But your own depraved words prevent this.
12
Why does your heart exalt you, and why do you gaze with your eyes, as if thinking great things?
13
Why does your spirit stir against God, so as to utter such speeches from your mouth?
14
What is man that he should be immaculate, and that he should appear just, having been born of woman?
15
Behold, among his holy ones not one is immutable, and even the heavens are not pure in his sight.
16
How much more abominable and useless is the man who drinks as if from the water of iniquity?
17
I will reveal to you, so listen to me; and I will explain to you what I have seen.
18
The wise acknowledge, and they do not leave behind, their fathers,(c)
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to whom alone the earth has been given, and no stranger passed among them.
20
The impious is arrogant for all his days, and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain.
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The sound of terror is always in his ears; and when there is peace, he always suspects treason.
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He does not believe that it is possible for him to be turned from darkness into the light, for he sees around him the sword on every side.
23
When he moves himself to seek bread, he knows that the day of darkness has been prepared for his hand.
24
Tribulation will terrify him, and anguish will prevail over him, like a king who is being prepared to go to battle.
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For he has extended his hand against God, and he has strengthened himself against the Almighty.
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He has rushed against him with his throat exposed, and he has been armed with a fat neck.
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Thickness has covered his face, and lard hangs down from his sides.
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He has lived in desolate cities and deserted houses, which have been turned into tombs.
29
He will not be enriched, nor will his basic necessities endure, nor will he establish his root in the earth.
30
He will not withdraw from the darkness; the flame will burn up his branches, and he will be defeated by the breath of his own mouth.
31
He will not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he could be redeemed at any price.
32
Before his time is completed, he will pass into ruin and his hands will wither away.
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He will be wounded like a grapevine, when its cluster is in first flower, and like an olive tree that casts off its flower.
34
For the congregation of the hypocrites is fruitless, and fire will devour the tabernacles of those who love to accept money.
35
He has conceived sorrow, and he has brought forth iniquity, and his womb prepares deceit.

Footnotes

(a)15:4 The word ‘timorem’ is usually translated as fear or dread, but in this context it means ‘fear of God’ or ‘reverence.’(Conte)
(b)15:4 you have made void fear:That is, cast off the fear of offending God.(Challoner)
(c)15:18 Wise men confess and hide not their fathers:That is, the knowledge and documents they have received from their fathers they are not ashamed to own.(Challoner)

Eliphaz accuses Job of folly

1
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2
“Should a wise man answer with vain knowledge, and fill himself with the east wind?
3
Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or with speeches with which he can do no good?
4
Yes, you do away with fear, and hinder devotion before God.
5
For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.
6
Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.
7
“Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought out before the hills?
8
Have you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
9
What do you know that we don’t know? What do you understand which is not in us?
10
With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, much older than your father.
11
Are the consolations of God too small for you, even the word that is gentle toward you?
12
Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,
13
that you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?
14
What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
15
Behold, he puts no trust in his holy ones. Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight;
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how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!
17
“I will show you, listen to me; that which I have seen I will declare
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(which wise men have told by their fathers, and have not hidden it;
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to whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them):
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the wicked man writhes in pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.
21
A sound of terrors is in his ears. In prosperity the destroyer will come on him.
22
He doesn’t believe that he will return out of darkness. He is waited for by the sword.
23
He wanders abroad for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’ He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24
Distress and anguish make him afraid. They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
25
Because he has stretched out his hand against God, and behaves himself proudly against the Almighty,
26
he runs at him with a stiff neck, with the thick shields of his bucklers,
27
because he has covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat on his thighs.
28
He has lived in desolate cities, in houses which no one inhabited, which were ready to become heaps.
29
He will not be rich, neither will his substance continue, neither will their possessions be extended on the earth.
30
He will not depart out of darkness. The flame will dry up his branches. He will go away by the breath of God’s mouth.
31
Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his reward.
32
It will be accomplished before his time. His branch will not be green.
33
He will shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and will cast off his flower as the olive tree.
34
For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
35
They conceive mischief and produce iniquity. Their heart prepares deceit.”
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