Job 15:31
New International Version
Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless, for he will get nothing in return.

New Living Translation
Let them no longer fool themselves by trusting in empty riches, for emptiness will be their only reward.

English Standard Version
Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his payment.

Berean Standard Bible
Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward.

King James Bible
Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.

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

New American Standard Bible
“Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; For his reward will be emptiness.

NASB 1995
“Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; For emptiness will be his reward.

NASB 1977
“Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; For emptiness will be his reward.

Legacy Standard Bible
Let him not believe in emptiness, deceiving himself; For emptiness will be his reward,

Amplified Bible
“Let him not trust in vanity (emptiness, futility) and be led astray; For emptiness will be his reward [for such living].

Christian Standard Bible
Let him not put trust in worthless things, being led astray, for what he gets in exchange will prove worthless.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Let him not put trust in worthless things, being led astray, for what he gets in exchange will prove worthless.

American Standard Version
Let him not trust in vanity, deceiving himself; For vanity shall be his recompense.

Contemporary English Version
They have put their trust in something worthless; now they will become worthless

English Revised Version
Let him not trust in vanity, deceiving himself: for vanity shall be his recompence.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He shouldn't trust in worthless things and deceive himself because he will get worthless things in return.

Good News Translation
If they are foolish enough to trust in evil, then evil will be their reward.

International Standard Version
Let him not trust in a worthless speech. He leads only himself astray, for emptiness will be his reward.

Majority Standard Bible
Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward.

NET Bible
Let him not trust in what is worthless, deceiving himself; for worthlessness will be his reward.

New Heart English Bible
Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; for emptiness shall be his reward.

Webster's Bible Translation
Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompense.

World English Bible
Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his reward.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Do not let him put credence in vanity, "" He has been deceived, "" For vanity is his exchange.

Young's Literal Translation
Let him not put credence in vanity, He hath been deceived, For vanity is his recompence.

Smith's Literal Translation
He being deceived shall not trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his compensation.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He shall not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he may be redeemed with any price.

Catholic Public Domain Version
He will not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he could be redeemed at any price.

New American Bible
Let him not trust in his height, misled, even though his height be like the palm tree.

New Revised Standard Version
Let them not trust in emptiness, deceiving themselves; for emptiness will be their recompense.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Let him not trust in deceptive vanity, for his growth is in vain.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he should not believe the lie of the Deceiver, because his growth was in vain
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Let him not trust in vanity, deceiving himself; For vanity shall be his recompense.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Let him not think that he shall endure; for his end shall be vanity.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Eliphaz: Job Does Not Fear God
30He will not escape from the darkness; the flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away. 31Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be his reward. 32It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not flourish.…

Cross References
Proverbs 11:7
When the wicked man dies, his hope perishes, and the hope of his strength vanishes.

Isaiah 44:20
He feeds on ashes. His deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”

Jeremiah 17:5-6
This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes mere flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD. / He will be like a shrub in the desert; he will not see when prosperity comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.

Psalm 62:10
Place no trust in extortion or false hope in stolen goods. If your riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.

Proverbs 11:18
The wicked man earns an empty wage, but he who sows righteousness reaps a true reward.

Isaiah 59:4
No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case honestly. They rely on empty pleas; they tell lies; they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.

Jeremiah 7:8
But look, you keep trusting in deceptive words to no avail.

Matthew 7:26-27
But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. / The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its collapse!”

Luke 12:19-20
Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ / But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’

1 Timothy 6:17
Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy.

James 1:11
For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

1 Corinthians 3:18-20
Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise. / For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.” / And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”

Galatians 6:7-8
Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. / The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. / For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. / The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Psalm 49:6-7
They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches. / No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.


Treasury of Scripture

Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompense.

not him

Job 12:16
With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

Isaiah 44:20
He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

Galatians 6:3,7
For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself…

trust

Psalm 62:10
Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.

Isaiah 59:4
None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

Jonah 2:8
They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

for vanity

Job 4:8
Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

Proverbs 22:8
He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.

Isaiah 17:10,11
Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips: …

Jump to Previous
Credence Deceit Deceive Deceived Deceiving Emptiness Error Falling Hope Recompence Recompense Reward Trust Trusting Vanity Worthless
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Credence Deceit Deceive Deceived Deceiving Emptiness Error Falling Hope Recompence Recompense Reward Trust Trusting Vanity Worthless
Job 15
1. Eliphaz reproves Job for impiety in justifying himself
17. He proves by tradition the restlessness of wicked men














Let him not deceive himself
The phrase begins with a caution against self-deception. In Hebrew, the root word for "deceive" is "תָּעָה" (ta'ah), which conveys the idea of wandering or going astray. This suggests a deliberate or unconscious departure from truth. In the context of Job, Eliphaz warns against the folly of self-deception, which is a common theme in wisdom literature. The Bible consistently teaches that self-deception leads to spiritual and moral peril, urging believers to seek truth and wisdom from God.

with trust in emptiness
The word "trust" in Hebrew is "בָּטַח" (batach), meaning to rely on or have confidence in. The object of this trust, "emptiness," is translated from "שָׁוְא" (shav), which denotes vanity, falsehood, or worthlessness. This phrase warns against placing confidence in things that are ultimately unsubstantial or deceptive. Historically, this could refer to idolatry or reliance on wealth and power, which are fleeting and unreliable. The Bible frequently contrasts the futility of trusting in worldly things with the steadfastness of trusting in God.

for emptiness will be his reward
The repetition of "emptiness" (shav) emphasizes the futility and inevitable disappointment of such misplaced trust. The term "reward" in Hebrew is "תְּמוּרָה" (temurah), which can mean recompense or exchange. This suggests a divine principle of sowing and reaping, where the outcome of one's actions is directly related to their nature. In a broader scriptural context, this reflects the biblical teaching that those who pursue vanity and falsehood will ultimately reap emptiness and dissatisfaction, while those who seek God will find fulfillment and eternal reward.

(31) Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity.--Or, Let him not trust in vanity deceiving himself. (Comp. James 1:26; 1Samuel 12:21.)

Verse 31. - Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity; rather, let him not trust in vanity (or, in falsehood)' deceiving himself (see the Revised Version). All the supports and stays of the wicked are vanity - unsubstantial, futile, utterly vain and useless. It is only a man who "deceives himself" that can trust in them. For vanity shall be his recompense. Such as do so trust gain nothing by it; they sow vanity and reap vanity.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Let him not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

deceive himself
נִתְעָ֑ה (niṯ·‘āh)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8582: To vacillate, reel, stray

with trust
יַאֲמֵ֣ן (ya·’ă·mên)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
Strong's 539: To confirm, support

in emptiness,
בַּשָּׁ֣יו (baš·šāw)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7723: Evil, idolatry, uselessness

for
כִּי־ (kî·šā-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

emptiness
שָׁ֝֗וְא (w)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7723: Evil, idolatry, uselessness

will be
תִּהְיֶ֥ה (tih·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

his reward.
תְמוּרָתֽוֹ׃ (ṯə·mū·rā·ṯōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8545: Barter, compensation


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OT Poetry: Job 15:31 Let him not trust in emptiness deceiving (Jb)
Job 15:30
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