Job 15

Eliphaz: Job Does Not Fear God

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: ‡ Job 2:11Job 42:7Job 22:1Job 4:1Job 42:9

2 “Does a wise man answer with empty counsel ‡ Job 6:26Job 8:2Hos 12:1Jas 3:13Job 11:2-3Job 13:2

or fill his belly with the hot east wind?

3 Should he argue with useless words ‡ Col 4:6Mat 12:36-371Ti 6:4-5Job 13:4-5Job 16:2-3Job 26:1-3Mal 3:13-15

or speeches that serve no purpose?

4 But you even undermine the fear of God ‡ Rom 3:311Ch 10:13-14Amo 6:10Gal 2:21Hos 7:14Job 27:10Job 4:5-6Job 5:8 +5

and hinder meditation before Him.

5 For your iniquity instructs your mouth, ‡ Jas 1:26Jer 9:3-5Jas 3:5-8Jer 9:8Luk 6:45Psa 50:19-20Psa 52:2-4Job 5:13 +5

and you choose the language of the crafty.

6 Your own mouth, not mine, condemns you; ‡ Luk 19:22Job 9:20Mat 12:37Job 33:8-12Job 34:5-9Job 35:2-3Job 40:8Job 42:3 +2

your own lips testify against you.

7 Were you the first man ever born? ‡ Psa 90:2Job 12:12Job 38:4-41Pro 8:22-25Gen 4:1Job 15:10

Were you brought forth before the hills?

8 Do you listen in on the council of God ‡ Rom 11:34Jer 23:181Co 2:161Co 2:9-11Amo 3:7Deu 29:29Jhn 15:15Job 11:6 +9

or limit wisdom to yourself?

9 What do you know that we do not? ‡ Job 13:22Co 11:52Co 10:72Co 11:21-30Job 12:3Job 26:3-4

What do you understand that is not clear to us?

10 Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side— ‡ Job 32:6-7Job 12:12Job 8:8-10Deu 32:7Job 12:20Pro 16:31

men much older than your father.

11 Are the consolations of God not enough for you, ‡ 2Co 1:3-5Job 13:21Ki 22:242Co 7:6Job 11:13-19Job 15:8Job 36:16Job 5:8-26

even words spoken gently to you?

12 Why has your heart carried you away, ‡ Mrk 7:21-22Psa 35:19Act 5:3-4Act 8:22Jas 1:14-15Job 11:13Job 17:2Pro 6:13 +1

and why do your eyes flash, ¹

13 as you turn your spirit against God ‡ Jas 3:2-6Job 15:25-27Jas 1:26Job 10:3Job 12:6Job 9:4Mal 3:13Psa 34:13 +1

and pour such words from your mouth?

14 What is man, that he should be pure, ‡ Ecc 7:20Job 14:4Pro 20:9Rom 7:18Job 25:4-61Jn 1:8-101Ki 8:46Psa 14:3 +7

or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?

15 If God puts no trust in His holy ones, ‡ Job 25:5Job 4:18Isa 6:2-5Job 5:1

if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes,

16 how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, ‡ Job 34:7Pro 19:28Psa 53:3Rom 3:9-19Tit 3:3Job 20:12Job 4:19Job 42:6 +2

who drinks injustice like water?

17 Listen to me and I will inform you. ‡ Job 13:5-6Job 33:1Job 34:2Job 36:2Job 5:27

I will describe what I have seen,

18 what was declared by wise men ‡ Job 8:8Isa 38:19Job 15:10Psa 71:18Psa 78:3-6

and was not concealed from their fathers,

19 to whom alone the land was given ‡ Jol 3:17Deu 32:8Gen 10:25Gen 10:32

when no foreigner passed among them.

20 A wicked man writhes in pain all his days; ‡ Jas 5:1-6Job 27:13Job 24:1Luk 12:19-21Ecc 9:3Psa 90:12Psa 90:3-4Rom 8:22

only a few years are reserved for the ruthless.

21 Sounds of terror fill his ears; ‡ Job 18:111Th 5:3Lev 26:361Co 10:10Job 1:13-19Job 20:22-25Job 20:5-7Job 27:20 +8

in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.

22 He despairs of his return from darkness; ‡ Job 20:24-252Ki 6:33Isa 8:21-22Job 19:29Job 27:14Job 6:11Job 9:16Mat 27:5

he is marked for the sword.

23 He wanders about as food for vultures; ‡ Job 18:12Psa 109:10Psa 59:15Amo 5:20Ecc 11:8Gen 4:12Heb 10:27Heb 11:37-38 +7

he knows the day of darkness is at hand.

24 Distress and anguish terrify him, ‡ Pro 24:34Pro 6:11Isa 13:3Job 6:2-4Mat 26:37-38Pro 1:27Psa 119:143Rom 2:9

overwhelming him like a king poised to attack.

25 For he has stretched out his hand against God ‡ Dan 5:23Job 9:4Psa 52:7Psa 73:91Sa 6:6Job 36:9Mal 3:13Psa 73:11 +12

and has vaunted himself against the Almighty,

26 rushing headlong at Him ‡ 2Ch 32:13-172Ch 28:22Gen 49:8Job 16:12Psa 18:40

with a thick, studded shield.

27 Though his face is covered with fat ‡ Psa 17:10Isa 6:10Jer 5:28Psa 73:7Deu 32:15Job 17:10Psa 78:31

and his waistline bulges with flesh,

28 he will dwell in ruined cities, ‡ Job 3:14Jer 51:37Isa 5:8-10Jer 26:18Jer 9:11Job 18:15Mic 3:12Mic 7:18

in abandoned houses destined to become rubble.

29 He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. ‡ Job 27:16-17Jas 1:11Jas 5:1-3Job 20:22-28Job 22:15-20Luk 12:19-21Luk 16:19-22Luk 16:2 +1

His possessions will not overspread the land.

30 He will not escape from the darkness; ‡ Job 4:9Job 15:22Job 18:5-6Job 20:26Mat 25:412Pe 2:172Th 1:8-9Ezk 15:4-7 +12

the flame will wither his shoots,

and the breath of God’s mouth

will carry him away.

31 Let him not deceive himself with trust in emptiness, ‡ Isa 59:4Gal 6:3Gal 6:7-8Hos 8:7Psa 62:10Eph 5:6Isa 44:20Job 12:16 +4

for emptiness will be his reward.

32 It will be paid in full before his time, ‡ Ecc 7:17Psa 55:23Hos 9:16Job 22:16Ezk 17:8-10Hos 14:5-7Isa 27:11Job 14:7-9 +4

and his branch will not flourish.

33 He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, ‡ Deu 28:39-40Isa 33:9Rev 6:13

like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.

34 For the company of the godless will be barren, ‡ Job 8:13Job 27:8Job 8:22Mic 7:21Sa 12:31Sa 8:3Amo 5:11-12Isa 33:14-15 +7

and fire will consume the tents of bribery.

35 They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; ‡ Psa 7:14Hos 10:13Isa 59:4-5Jas 1:15Gal 6:7-8

their womb is pregnant with deceit.”