1 T hen answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

2 S hould a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?

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

3 S hould he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

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

4 Y ea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.

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

5 F or thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

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

6 T hine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

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

7 A rt thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?

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

8 H ast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

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

9 W hat knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?

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

10 W ith us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.

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

11 A re the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?

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

12 W hy doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,

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

13 t hat thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?

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

14 W hat is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

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

15 B ehold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.

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

16 H ow much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

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

17 I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;

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

18 w hich wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:

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

19 u nto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.

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

20 T he wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.

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

21 A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.

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

22 H e believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.

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

23 H e wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

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

24 T rouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.

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

25 F or he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.

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

26 H e runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:

Running stubbornly against Him With his strong, embossed shield.

27 b ecause he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.

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

28 A nd he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.

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

29 H e shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.

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

30 H e shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.

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

31 L et not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.

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

32 I t shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.

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

33 H e shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.

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

34 F or the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.

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

35 T hey conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.

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