New King James Version | International Standard Version |
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: | 1Then Eliphaz from Teman responded: |
2“Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge, And fill himself with the east wind? | 2"Should a wise person respond with knowledge based on wind? Should he fill his stomach with a wind storm from the east? |
3Should he reason with unprofitable talk, Or by speeches with which he can do no good? | 3Should he engage in unprofitable argument, or give a speech that benefits no one? |
4Yes, you cast off fear, And restrain prayer before God. | 4Yet you dispense with fear of God and hinder meditations before God. |
5For your iniquity teaches your mouth, And you choose the tongue of the crafty. | 5Because your sin dictates your speech, you have chosen the language of the crafty. |
6Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; Yes, your own lips testify against you. | 6Your own mouth is condemning you, not I; your own lips will testify against you." |
7“Are you the first man who was born? Or were you made before the hills? | 7"Were you the first person to be born? Were you brought forth before the hills were made? |
8Have you heard the counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself? | 8Have you listened in on God's secret council? Have you limited wisdom only to yourself? |
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 know, or that you understand and that isn't clear to us? |
10Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, Much older than your father. | 10"We have both the gray-haired and the aged with us, and they are far older than your father. |
11Are the consolations of God too small for you, And the word spoken gently with you? | 11Are God's encouragements inconsequential to you, even a word that has been spoken gently to you? |
12Why does your heart carry you away, And what do your eyes wink at, | 12Why have your emotions carried you away? And why do your eyes flash |
13That you turn your spirit against God, And let such words go out of your mouth? | 13that you turn your anger against God and speak words like this? |
14“What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous? | 14"What is mankind, that he can be blameless? Or does being born of a woman mean he'll be in the right? |
15If God puts no trust in His saints, And the heavens are not pure in His sight, | 15Look, if God doesn't trust his holy ones, if even the heavens aren't pure as he looks at them, |
16How much less man, who is abominable and filthy, Who drinks iniquity like water! | 16then how much less is one who is abhorred and corrupted, such as a man who drinks injustice like water?" |
17“I will tell you, hear me; What I have seen I will declare, | 17"I'll tell you what, listen to me! Let me relate what I've seen, |
18What wise men have told, Not hiding anything received from their fathers, | 18which is what wise men have explained, who didn't withhold anything from their ancestors. |
19To whom alone the land was given, And no alien passed among them: | 19To them alone was the land given, when no invader passed through their midst. |
20The wicked man writhes with pain all his days, And the number of years is hidden from the oppressor. | 20"The wicked person writhes in pain throughout his life, a number of years has been reserved for the ruthless. |
21Dreadful sounds are in his ears; In prosperity the destroyer comes upon him. | 21Terrifying sounds ring in his ears; when times are prosperous, the Destroyer will attack him. |
22He does not believe that he will return from darkness, For a sword is waiting for him. | 22He does not believe he will escape 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 around for food—where is it? He knows that a time of darkness is near. |
24Trouble and anguish make him afraid; They overpower him, like a king ready for battle. | 24Distress and pressure terrify him; they overwhelm him, like a king poised for attack. |
25For he stretches out his hand against God, And acts defiantly against the Almighty, | 25"For he has raised his fist against God, defying the Almighty. |
26Running stubbornly against Him With his strong, embossed shield. | 26He defiantly ran against him carrying his thick, reinforced shield. |
27“Though he has covered his face with his fatness, And made his waist heavy with fat, | 27Though he covered his face with fat, and is grossly overweight at the waist, |
28He dwells in desolate cities, In houses which no one inhabits, Which are destined to become ruins. | 28He will live in devastated towns, in abandoned houses that are about to become heaps of rubble. |
29He will not be rich, Nor will his wealth continue, Nor will his possessions overspread the earth. | 29"He won't become rich and his wealth won't last; he won't expand his holdings to cover 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 won't escape darkness; a flame will wither his shoots; and he'll depart by the breath of God's mouth. |
31Let him not trust in futile things, deceiving himself, For futility will be his reward. | 31Let him not trust in a worthless speech. He leads only himself astray, for emptiness will be his reward. |
32It will be accomplished before his time, And his branch will not be green. | 32This will be accomplished before his time; his branches won't grow luxuriant. |
33He will shake off his unripe grape like a vine, And cast off his blossom like an olive tree. | 33"He is like a vine that drops its unripe grapes; like an olive tree that loses its blossoms. |
34For the company of hypocrites will be barren, And fire will consume the tents of bribery. | 34For the company of the godless is desolation, and fire consumes the tents of those who bribe. |
35They conceive trouble and bring forth futility; Their womb prepares deceit.” | 35For they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity; their womb is pregnant with deception." |
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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