Then Eliphaz the Temanite
1responded
,
"Should a wise man
answer
with windy
knowledge
aAnd fill
1himself
with the east
wind
?
"Should he argue with useless
talk
, Or with words
which are not profitable
?
"Indeed, you do
away
with 1reverence
And hinder
meditation
before
God
.
"For ayour guilt teaches
your mouth
, And you choose
the language
of bthe crafty
.
"Your aown mouth condemns
you, and not I; And your own lips
testify
against you.
"Were you the first man
to be born
, Or awere you brought
forth
before
the hills
?
"Do you hear the asecret
counsel
of God
, And limit
wisdom
to yourself?
" aWhat do you know
that we do not know
? What do you understand
that 1we do not?
"Both the agray-haired
and the aged
are among us, Older
than
your father
.
"Are athe consolations of God
too
small
for you, Even the bword
spoken gently
with you?
"Why does your aheart
carry
you away? And why
do your eyes
flash
,
That you should turn your spirit
against
God
And allow such words
to go
out of your mouth
?
"What is man
, that ahe should be pure
, Or bhe who is born
of a woman
, that he should be righteous
?
"Behold, He puts
no
trust
in His aholy
ones
, And the bheavens
are not pure
in His sight
;
How much
less
one who is adetestable
and corrupt
, Man
, who bdrinks
iniquity
like water
!
"I will tell you, listen
to me; And what
I have seen
I will also declare
;
What wise
men
have told
, And have not concealed
from atheir fathers
,
To whom alone
the land
was given
, And no
alien
passed
among
them.
"The wicked man
writhes
ain pain
all
his days
, And 1numbered
are the years
bstored
up for the ruthless
.
" 1Sounds of aterror
are in his ears
; bWhile at peace
the destroyer
comes
upon him.
"He does not believe that he will areturn
from darkness
, And he is destined
for bthe sword
.
"He wanders about for food
, saying, `Where
is it?' He knows
that a day
of adarkness
is 1at hand
.
"Distress and anguish
terrify
him, They overpower
him like a king
ready
for the attack
,
Because he has stretched
out his hand
against
God
And conducts
himself aarrogantly
against
1the Almighty
.
"He rushes 1headlong
at Him With 2his massive
shield
.
"For he has acovered his face
with his fat
And made
his thighs
heavy
with flesh
.
"He has alived in desolate
cities
, In houses
no
one would inhabit
, Which
are destined
to become 1ruins
.
"He awill not become rich
, nor
will his wealth
endure
; And his grain
will not bend
down
to the ground
.
"He will anot 1escape from darkness
; The bflame
will wither
his shoots
, And by cthe breath
of His mouth
he will go
away
.
"Let him not atrust in emptiness
, deceiving
himself; For emptiness
will be his 1reward
.
"It will be accomplished abefore
his time
, And his palm
bbranch
will not be green
.
"He will drop off
his unripe
grape
like the vine
, And will acast
off
his flower
like the olive
tree
.
"For the company of athe godless
is barren
, And fire
consumes
bthe tents
of 1the corrupt
.
"They aconceive 1mischief
and bring
forth
iniquity
, And their 2mind
prepares
deception
."