1 T hen Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

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

“Should a wise man answer with learning that is of no worth, and fill himself with the east wind?

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

Should he argue with talk that will not help, or with words that do no good?

4 Y es, you do away with fear, and hinder devotion before God.

For sure you are doing away with the fear of the Lord. You are stopping the quiet worship of God.

5 F or your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.

You show your sin by what you say. You are trying to hide behind your words.

6 Y our own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.

Your own mouth says you are guilty, and not I. Your own lips speak against you.

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

“Were you the first man to be born? Or were you made before the hills?

8 H ave you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?

Were you there to hear the secret plans of God? Are you the only one who has wisdom?

9 W hat do you know, that we don’t know? What do you understand, which is not in us?

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

10 W ith us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, much elder than your father.

Men whose hair has grown white and those who have lived many years are among us. They are older than your father.

11 A re the consolations of God too small for you, even the word that is gentle toward you?

Are the gentle words spoken to you, which give comfort from God, too little for you?

12 W hy does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,

Why does your heart carry you away? And why do your eyes shine,

13 T hat you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your 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? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

What is man, that he can be pure, or he who is born of a woman, that he can be right and good?

15 B ehold, he puts no trust in his holy ones. Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight;

See, God puts no trust in His holy ones. The heavens are not pure in His eyes.

16 h ow much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!

How much less one who is hated and sinful, a man who drinks sin like water!

17 “ I will show you, listen to me; that which I have seen I will declare:

“I will tell you, listen to me. I will make known what I have seen,

18 ( Which wise men have told by their fathers, and have not hidden it;

what wise men have told that they learned from their fathers. They have not hidden anything.

19 t o whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them):

These were the ones to whom the land was given, and no stranger passed among them.

20 t he wicked man writhes in pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.

The sinful man suffers in pain all his days. His years are numbered because of all his sin.

21 A sound of terrors is in his ears. In prosperity the destroyer shall come on him.

Sounds of fear are in his ears. When all seems to be going well, the one who destroys will come upon him.

22 H e doesn’t believe that he shall return out of darkness. He is waited for by the sword.

He does not believe that he will be taken away from darkness, and the sword is meant for him.

23 H e wanders abroad for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’ He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

He goes to look for food, saying, ‘Where is it?’ He knows that a day of darkness is near.

24 D istress and anguish make him afraid. They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.

Trouble and pain fill him with fear. They have power over him like a king ready for battle.

25 B ecause he has stretched out his hand against God, and behaves himself proudly against the Almighty;

He has put out his hand against God, and is full of pride against the All-powerful.

26 h e runs at him with a stiff neck, with the thick shields of his bucklers;

He rushes in pride against Him with his big battle-covering.

27 b ecause he has covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat on his thighs.

His face is fat, and his thighs are heavy with fat.

28 H e has lived in desolate cities, in houses which no one inhabited, which were ready to become heaps.

He has lived in cities that have been laid waste, in houses where no one lives which will be destroyed.

29 H e shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall their possessions be extended on the earth.

He will no longer be rich, and what he has will not last. His grain will come to nothing.

30 H e shall not depart out of darkness. The flame shall dry up his branches. By the breath of God’s mouth shall he go away.

He will not get away from darkness. The fire will dry up his branches, and the breath of God’s mouth will drive him away.

31 L et him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; for emptiness shall be his reward.

Let him not lie to himself and trust in what is empty. For what is empty will be his reward.

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

It will be paid in full while he still lives, 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 tree.

He will be like the vine that drops off its grapes before they are ready. And he will throw off his flower like the olive tree.

34 F or the company of the godless shall be barren, and fire shall consume the tents of bribery.

Those who visit the sinful bring no fruit. And fire destroys the tents of those who do wrong.

35 T hey conceive mischief, and produce iniquity. Their heart prepares deceit.”

They give birth to trouble and bring sin. Their minds plan lies.”