1 A nd Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: --

2 D oth a wise man answer vain knowledge? And fill an east wind his belly?

3 T o reason with a word not useful? And speeches -- no profit in them?

4 Y ea, thou dost make reverence void, And dost diminish meditation before God.

5 F or thy mouth teacheth thine iniquity, And thou chooseth the tongue of the subtile.

6 T hy mouth declareth thee wicked, and not I, And thy lips testify against thee.

7 T he first man art thou born? And before the heights wast thou formed?

8 O f the secret counsel of God dost thou hear? And withdrawest thou unto thee wisdom?

9 W hat hast thou known, and we know not? Understandest thou -- and it is not with us?

10 B oth the gray-headed And the very aged among us -- Greater than thy father days.

11 T oo few for thee are the comforts of God? And a gentle word with thee,

12 W hat -- doth thine heart take thee away? And what -- are thine eyes high?

13 F or thou turnest against God thy spirit? And hast brought out words from thy mouth:

14 W hat man that he is pure, And that he is righteous, one born of woman?

15 L o, in His holy ones He putteth no credence, And the heavens have not been pure in His eyes.

16 A lso -- surely abominable and filthy Is man drinking as water perverseness.

17 I shew thee -- hearken to me -- And this I have seen and declare:

18 W hich the wise declare -- And have not hid -- from their fathers.

19 T o them alone was the land given, And a stranger passed not over into their midst:

20 ` All days of the wicked he is paining himself, And few years have been laid up for the terrible one.

21 A fearful voice in his ears, In peace doth a destroyer come to him.

22 H e believeth not to return from darkness, And watched he for the sword.

23 H e is wandering for bread -- `Where it?' He hath known that ready at his hand Is a day of darkness.

24 T errify him do adversity and distress, They prevail over him As a king ready for a boaster.

25 F or he stretched out against God his hand, And against the Mighty he maketh himself mighty.

26 H e runneth unto Him with a neck, With thick bosses of his shields.

27 F or he hath covered his face with his fat, And maketh vigour over confidence.

28 A nd he inhabiteth cities cut off, houses not dwelt in, That have been ready to become heaps.

29 H e is not rich, nor doth his wealth rise, Nor doth he stretch out on earth their continuance.

30 H e turneth not aside from darkness, His tender branch doth a flame dry up, And he turneth aside at the breath of His mouth!

31 L et him not put credence in vanity, He hath been deceived, For vanity is his recompence.

32 N ot in his day is it completed, And his bending branch is not green.

33 H e shaketh off as a vine his unripe fruit, And casteth off as an olive his blossom.

34 F or the company of the profane gloomy, And fire hath consumed tents of bribery.

35 T o conceive misery, and to bear iniquity, Even their heart doth prepare deceit.