Holman Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

1Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,

2Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill himself with the hot east wind?

2"Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge And fill himself with the east wind?

3Should he argue with useless talk or with words that serve no good purpose?

3"Should he argue with useless talk, Or with words which are not profitable?

4But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him.

4"Indeed, you do away with reverence And hinder meditation before God.

5Your iniquity teaches you what to say, and you choose the language of the crafty.

5"For your guilt teaches your mouth, And you choose the language of the crafty.

6Your own mouth condemns you, not I; your own lips testify against you.

6"Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; And your own lips testify against you.

7Were you the first person ever born, or were you brought forth before the hills?

7"Were you the first man to be born, Or were you brought forth before the hills?

8Do you listen in on the council of God, or have a monopoly on wisdom?

8"Do you hear the secret counsel of God, And limit wisdom to yourself?

9What do you know that we don't? What do you understand that is not clear to us?

9"What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that we do not?

10Both the gray-haired and the elderly are with us, men older than your father.

10"Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, Older than your father.

11Are God's consolations not enough for you, even the words that deal gently with you?

11"Are the consolations of God too small for you, Even the word spoken gently with you?

12Why has your heart misled you, and why do your eyes flash

12"Why does your heart carry you away? And why do your eyes flash,

13as you turn your anger against God and allow such words to leave your mouth?

13That you should turn your spirit against God And allow such words to go out of your mouth?

14What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?

14"What is man, that he should be pure, Or he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

15If God puts no trust in His holy ones and the heavens are not pure in His sight,

15"Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones, And the heavens are not pure in His sight;

16how much less one who is revolting and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water?

16How much less one who is detestable and corrupt, Man, who drinks iniquity like water!

17Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen,

17"I will tell you, listen to me; And what I have seen I will also declare;

18what was declared by wise men and was not suppressed by their ancestors,

18What wise men have told, And have not concealed from their fathers,

19the land was given to them alone when no foreigner passed among them.

19To whom alone the land was given, And no alien passed among them.

20A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.

20"The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, And numbered are the years stored up for the ruthless.

21Dreadful sounds fill his ears; when he is at peace, a robber attacks him.

21"Sounds of terror are in his ears; While at peace the destroyer comes upon him.

22He doesn't believe he will return from darkness; he is destined for the sword.

22"He does not believe that he will return from darkness, And he is destined for the sword.

23He wanders about for food, saying, "Where is it?" He knows the day of darkness is at hand.

23"He wanders about for food, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that a day of darkness is at hand.

24Trouble and distress terrify him, overwhelming him like a king prepared for battle.

24"Distress and anguish terrify him, They overpower him like a king ready for the attack,

25For he has stretched out his hand against God and has arrogantly opposed the Almighty.

25Because he has stretched out his hand against God And conducts himself arrogantly against the Almighty.

26He rushes headlong at Him with his thick, studded shields.

26"He rushes headlong at Him With his massive shield.

27Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with it,

27"For he has covered his face with his fat And made his thighs heavy with flesh.

28he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become piles of rubble.

28"He has lived in desolate cities, In houses no one would inhabit, Which are destined to become ruins.

29He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not increase in the land.

29"He will not become rich, nor will his wealth endure; And his grain will not bend down to the ground.

30He will not escape from the darkness; flames will wither his shoots, and by the breath of God's mouth, he will depart.

30"He will not escape from darkness; The flame will wither his shoots, And by the breath of His mouth he will go away.

31Let him not put trust in worthless things, being led astray, for what he gets in exchange will prove worthless.

31"Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; For emptiness will be his reward.

32It will be accomplished before his time, and his branch will not flourish.

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

33He will be like a vine that drops its unripe grapes and like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.

33"He will drop off his unripe grape like the vine, And will cast off his flower like the olive tree.

34For the company of the godless will have no children, and fire will consume the tents of those who offer bribes.

34"For the company of the godless is barren, And fire consumes the tents of the corrupt.

35They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb prepares deception.

35"They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity, And their mind prepares deception."

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org