Eliphaz Says Job Presumes Much

15 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,

“Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge,
(A)And fill [a]himself with the east wind?
Should he argue with useless talk,
Or with words which do not benefit?
Indeed, you do away with [b]reverence,
And hinder meditation before God.
For (B)your wrongdoing teaches your mouth,
And you choose the language of (C)the cunning.
Your (D)own mouth condemns you, and not I;
And your own lips testify against you.

“Were you the first person to be born,
Or (E)were you brought forth before the hills?
Do you hear the (F)secret discussion of God,
And limit wisdom to yourself?
(G)What do you know that we do not know?
What do you understand that [c]we do not?
10 Both the (H)gray-haired and the aged are among us,
Older than your father.
11 Are (I)the consolations of God too little for you,
Or the (J)word spoken gently to you?
12 Why does your (K)heart take you away?
And why do your eyes wink,
13 That you can turn your spirit against God
And produce such words from your mouth?
14 What is man, that (L)he would be pure,
Or (M)he who is born of a woman, that he would be righteous?
15 Behold, He has no trust in His (N)holy ones,
And the (O)heavens are not pure in His sight;
16 How much less one who is (P)detestable and corrupt:
A person who (Q)drinks [d]malice like water!

What Eliphaz Has Seen of Life

17 “I will tell you, listen to me;
And what I have seen I will also declare;
18 What wise people have told,
And have not concealed from (R)their fathers,
19 To whom alone the land was given,
And no stranger passed among them.
20 The wicked person writhes (S)in pain all his days,
And the [e]years (T)reserved for the ruthless are numbered.
21 [f]Sounds of (U)terror are in his ears;
(V)While he is at peace the destroyer comes upon him.
22 He does not believe that he will (W)return from darkness,
And he is destined for (X)the sword.
23 He wanders about for food, saying, ‘Where is it?’
He knows that a day of (Y)darkness is [g]at hand.
24 Distress and anguish terrify him,
They overpower him like a king ready for the attack,
25 Because he has reached out with his hand against God,
And is (Z)arrogant toward [h]the Almighty.
26 He rushes [i]headlong at Him
With his [j]massive shield.
27 For he has (AA)covered his face with his fat,
And [k]put fat on his waist.
28 He has (AB)lived in desolate cities,
In houses no one would inhabit,
Which are destined to become [l]ruins.
29 He (AC)will not become rich, nor will his wealth endure;
And his property will not stretch out on the earth.
30 He will (AD)not [m]escape from darkness;
The (AE)flame will dry up his shoot,
And he will go away by (AF)the breath of His mouth.
31 Let him not (AG)trust in emptiness, deceiving himself;
For his [n]reward will be emptiness.
32 It will be accomplished (AH)before his time,
And his palm (AI)branch will not be green.
33 He will drop off his unripe grape like the vine,
And will (AJ)cast off his flower like the olive tree.
34 For the company of (AK)the godless is barren,
And fire consumes (AL)the tents of [o]the corrupt.
35 They (AM)conceive [p]harm and give birth to wrongdoing,
And their [q]mind prepares deception.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 15:2 Lit his belly
  2. Job 15:4 Lit fear
  3. Job 15:9 Lit is not within us?
  4. Job 15:16 Or injustice
  5. Job 15:20 Lit number of years are reserved for
  6. Job 15:21 Lit A sound of terrors is
  7. Job 15:23 Lit ready at his hand
  8. Job 15:25 Heb Shaddai
  9. Job 15:26 Lit with a stiff neck
  10. Job 15:26 Lit thick-bossed shields
  11. Job 15:27 Lit made
  12. Job 15:28 Or heaps
  13. Job 15:30 Lit turn aside
  14. Job 15:31 Lit exchange
  15. Job 15:34 Lit a bribe
  16. Job 15:35 Or pain
  17. Job 15:35 Lit belly

Erifaazi Ayogera

15 Awo Erifaazi Omutemani n’addamu n’ayogera nti,

(A)“Omuntu ow’amagezi yandizzeemu n’amagezi agataliimu,
    oba n’ajjuza olubuto lwe embuyaga ez’ebuvanjuba?
Yandiwakanye n’ebigambo ebitaliiko kye bigasa,
    oba okwogera ebigambo ebitalina kye bikola?
Naye onyooma Katonda
    n’oziyiza okwewaayo eri Katonda.
(B)Kubanga obutali butuukirivu bwo bwe buyigiriza akamwa ko,
    era olonzeewo okukozesa olulimi lw’abalimba.
(C)Akamwa ko kennyini ke kakusalira omusango si nze,
    emimwa gyo gyennyini gye gikulumiriza.

(D)“Gwe wasooka abantu bonna okuzaalibwa?
    Oba ggwe wazaalibwa ensozi nga tezinnabaawo?
(E)Ofaayo okuwuliriza okuteesa kwa Katonda?
    Olowooza gwe mugezi wekka?
(F)Kiki ky’omanyi kye tutamanyi?
    Kubikkulirwa ki kw’olina ffe kwe tutalina?
10 (G)Ab’envi abakaddiye bali ku ludda lwaffe,
    abasajja abakulu n’okusinga kitaawo.
11 (H)Katonda by’akugambye ebikuzzaamu amaanyi bitono nnyo tebikumala,
    ebigambo ebikubuuliddwa mu bukkakkamu?
12 (I)Lwaki omutima gwo gukubuzizza,
    amaaso go ne gatemereza
13 n’olyoka ofuka obusungu bwo eri Katonda,
    n’ofukumula ebigambo bwe bityo okuva mu kamwa ko?

14 (J)“Omuntu ye ani, alyoke abeere omutukuvu,
    oba oyo azaalibwa omukazi nti ayinza okuba omutuukirivu?
15 (K)Katonda bw’aba tassa bwesige mu batukuvu be,
    n’eggulu ne liba nga si ttukuvu mu maaso ge,
16 (L)oba oleeta otya omuntu obuntu, omugwagwa era omuvundu,
    anywa obutali butuukirivu nga amazzi!

17 “Mpuliriza nnaakunnyonnyola,
    leka nkubuulire kye ndabye:
18 (M)abasajja ab’amagezi kye bagambye
    nga tebalina kye bakwese ku kye baafuna okuva eri bakadde baabwe
19 abo bokka abaweebwa ensi
    nga tewali mugwira agiyitamu.
20 (N)Omuntu omukozi w’ebibi, aba mu kubonaabona ennaku ze zonna,
    n’anyigirizibwa emyaka gyonna egyamutegekerwa.
21 (O)Amaloboozi agatiisa gajjuza amatu ge;
    byonna bwe biba ng’ebiteredde, abanyazi ne bamulumba.
22 (P)Atya okuva mu kizikiza adde,
    ekitala kiba kimulinze okumusala.
23 (Q)Adda eno n’eri ng’anoonya ky’anaalya,
    amanyi ng’olunaku olw’ekizikiza lumutuukiridde.
24 Okweraliikirira n’obubalagaze bimubuutikira,
    bimujjula nga kabaka eyetegekedde olutalo.
25 (R)Kubanga anyeenyerezza Katonda ekikonde,
    ne yeegereegeranya ku oyo Ayinzabyonna,
26 n’agenda n’ekyejo amulumbe,
    n’engabo ennene enzito.

27 (S)“Wadde nga yenna yagejja amaaso
    ng’ajjudde amasavu mu mbiriizi,
28 (T)wakubeera mu bibuga eby’amatongo,
    ne mu bifulukwa,
    ennyumba ezigwa okufuuka ebifunfugu.
29 (U)Taddeyo kugaggawala,
    n’obugagga bwe tebulirwawo,
    n’ebintu by’alina tebirifuna mirandira mu ttaka.
30 (V)Taliwona kizikiza,
    olulimi lw’omuliro lunaakazanga amatabi ge,
    era omukka gw’omu kamwa gulimugobera wala.
31 (W)Alemenga okwerimba nga yeesiga ebitaliimu,
    kubanga talina ky’ajja kuganyulwa.
32 (X)Wa kusasulwa byonna ng’obudde tebunnatuuka,
    n’amatabi ge tegalikula.
33 (Y)Aliba ng’omuzabbibu ogugiddwako emizabbibu egitannaba kwengera,
    ng’omuzeyituuni ogukunkumula ebikoola byagwo.
34 (Z)Kubanga ekibiina ky’abatatya Katonda kinaabeeranga kigumba,
    era omuliro gunaayokyanga weema ezinaabangamu enguzi.
35 (AA)Baba embuto ez’ekibi ne bazaala obutali butuukirivu,
    embuto zaabwe zizaala obulimba.”

Eliphaz

15 Then Eliphaz the Temanite(A) replied:

“Would a wise person answer with empty notions
    or fill their belly with the hot east wind?(B)
Would they argue with useless words,
    with speeches that have no value?(C)
But you even undermine piety
    and hinder devotion to God.(D)
Your sin(E) prompts your mouth;(F)
    you adopt the tongue of the crafty.(G)
Your own mouth condemns you, not mine;
    your own lips testify against you.(H)

“Are you the first man ever born?(I)
    Were you brought forth before the hills?(J)
Do you listen in on God’s council?(K)
    Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?(L)
What do you know that we do not know?
    What insights do you have that we do not have?(M)
10 The gray-haired and the aged(N) are on our side,
    men even older than your father.(O)
11 Are God’s consolations(P) not enough for you,
    words(Q) spoken gently to you?(R)
12 Why has your heart(S) carried you away,
    and why do your eyes flash,
13 so that you vent your rage(T) against God
    and pour out such words(U) from your mouth?(V)

14 “What are mortals, that they could be pure,
    or those born of woman,(W) that they could be righteous?(X)
15 If God places no trust in his holy ones,(Y)
    if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,(Z)
16 how much less mortals, who are vile and corrupt,(AA)
    who drink up evil(AB) like water!(AC)

17 “Listen to me and I will explain to you;
    let me tell you what I have seen,(AD)
18 what the wise have declared,
    hiding nothing received from their ancestors(AE)
19 (to whom alone the land(AF) was given
    when no foreigners moved among them):
20 All his days the wicked man suffers torment,(AG)
    the ruthless man through all the years stored up for him.(AH)
21 Terrifying sounds fill his ears;(AI)
    when all seems well, marauders attack him.(AJ)
22 He despairs of escaping the realm of darkness;(AK)
    he is marked for the sword.(AL)
23 He wanders about(AM) for food like a vulture;(AN)
    he knows the day of darkness(AO) is at hand.(AP)
24 Distress and anguish(AQ) fill him with terror;(AR)
    troubles overwhelm him, like a king(AS) poised to attack,
25 because he shakes his fist(AT) at God
    and vaunts himself against the Almighty,(AU)
26 defiantly charging against him
    with a thick, strong shield.(AV)

27 “Though his face is covered with fat
    and his waist bulges with flesh,(AW)
28 he will inhabit ruined towns
    and houses where no one lives,(AX)
    houses crumbling to rubble.(AY)
29 He will no longer be rich and his wealth will not endure,(AZ)
    nor will his possessions spread over the land.(BA)
30 He will not escape the darkness;(BB)
    a flame(BC) will wither his shoots,(BD)
    and the breath of God’s mouth(BE) will carry him away.(BF)
31 Let him not deceive(BG) himself by trusting what is worthless,(BH)
    for he will get nothing in return.(BI)
32 Before his time(BJ) he will wither,(BK)
    and his branches will not flourish.(BL)
33 He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes,(BM)
    like an olive tree shedding its blossoms.(BN)
34 For the company of the godless(BO) will be barren,
    and fire will consume(BP) the tents of those who love bribes.(BQ)
35 They conceive trouble(BR) and give birth to evil;(BS)
    their womb fashions deceit.”

15 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?

Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.

For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?

Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?

10 With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.

11 Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?

12 Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,

13 That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?

14 What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

15 Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.

16 How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

17 I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;

18 Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:

19 Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.

20 The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.

21 A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.

22 He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.

23 He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

24 Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.

25 For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.

26 He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:

27 Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.

28 And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.

29 He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.

30 He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.

31 Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.

32 It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.

33 He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.

34 For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.

35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.