| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: | 1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: |
| 2“Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge, And fill himself with the east wind? | 2Does a wise man answer with empty counsel or fill himself with the hot east wind? |
| 3Should he reason with unprofitable talk, Or by speeches with which he can do no good? | 3Should he argue with useless talk or with words that serve no good purpose? |
| 4Yes, you cast off fear, And restrain prayer before God. | 4But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him. |
| 5For your iniquity teaches your mouth, And you choose the tongue of the crafty. | 5Your iniquity teaches you what to say, and you choose the language of the crafty. |
| 6Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; Yes, your own lips testify against you. | 6Your own mouth condemns you, not I; your own lips testify against you. |
| 7“Are you the first man who was born? Or were you made before the hills? | 7Were you the first person ever born, or were you brought forth before the hills? |
| 8Have you heard the counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself? | 8Do you listen in on the council of God, or have a monopoly on wisdom? |
| 9What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not in us? | 9What do you know that we don't? What do you understand that is not clear to us? |
| 10Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, Much older than your father. | 10Both the gray-haired and the elderly are with us, men older than your father. |
| 11Are the consolations of God too small for you, And the word spoken gently with you? | 11Are God's consolations not enough for you, even the words that deal gently with you? |
| 12Why does your heart carry you away, And what do your eyes wink at, | 12Why has your heart misled you, and why do your eyes flash |
| 13That you turn your spirit against God, And let such words go out of your mouth? | 13as you turn your anger against God and allow such words to leave your mouth? |
| 14“What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous? | 14What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous? |
| 15If God puts no trust in His saints, And the heavens are not pure in His sight, | 15If God puts no trust in His holy ones and the heavens are not pure in His sight, |
| 16How much less man, who is abominable and filthy, Who drinks iniquity like water! | 16how much less one who is revolting and corrupt, who drinks injustice like water? |
| 17“I will tell you, hear me; What I have seen I will declare, | 17Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen, |
| 18What wise men have told, Not hiding anything received from their fathers, | 18what was declared by wise men and was not suppressed by their ancestors, |
| 19To whom alone the land was given, And no alien passed among them: | 19the land was given to them alone when no foreigner passed among them. |
| 20The wicked man writhes with pain all his days, And the number of years is hidden from the oppressor. | 20A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; only a few years are reserved for the ruthless. |
| 21Dreadful sounds are in his ears; In prosperity the destroyer comes upon him. | 21Dreadful sounds fill his ears; when he is at peace, a robber attacks him. |
| 22He does not believe that he will return from darkness, For a sword is waiting for him. | 22He doesn't believe he will return from darkness; he is destined for the sword. |
| 23He wanders about for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’ He knows that a day of darkness is ready at his hand. | 23He wanders about for food, saying, "Where is it?" He knows the day of darkness is at hand. |
| 24Trouble and anguish make him afraid; They overpower him, like a king ready for battle. | 24Trouble and distress terrify him, overwhelming him like a king prepared for battle. |
| 25For he stretches out his hand against God, And acts defiantly against the Almighty, | 25For he has stretched out his hand against God and has arrogantly opposed the Almighty. |
| 26Running stubbornly against Him With his strong, embossed shield. | 26He rushes headlong at Him with his thick, studded shields. |
| 27“Though he has covered his face with his fatness, And made his waist heavy with fat, | 27Though his face is covered with fat and his waistline bulges with it, |
| 28He dwells in desolate cities, In houses which no one inhabits, Which are destined to become ruins. | 28he will dwell in ruined cities, in abandoned houses destined to become piles of rubble. |
| 29He will not be rich, Nor will his wealth continue, Nor will his possessions overspread the earth. | 29He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not increase in the land. |
| 30He will not depart from darkness; The flame will dry out his branches, And by the breath of His mouth he will go away. | 30He will not escape from the darkness; flames will wither his shoots, and by the breath of God's mouth, he will depart. |
| 31Let him not trust in futile things, deceiving himself, For futility will be his reward. | 31Let him not put trust in worthless things, being led astray, for what he gets in exchange will prove worthless. |
| 32It will be accomplished before his time, And his branch will not be green. | 32It will be accomplished before his time, and his branch will not flourish. |
| 33He will shake off his unripe grape like a vine, And cast off his blossom like an olive tree. | 33He will be like a vine that drops its unripe grapes and like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms. |
| 34For the company of hypocrites will be barren, And fire will consume the tents of bribery. | 34For the company of the godless will have no children, and fire will consume the tents of those who offer bribes. |
| 35They conceive trouble and bring forth futility; Their womb prepares deceit.” | 35They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb prepares deception. |
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