1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

2 “Would a wise person answer with empty notions

or fill their belly with the hot east wind?

3 Would they argue with useless words,

with speeches that have no value?

4 But you even undermine piety

and hinder devotion to God.

5 Your sin prompts your mouth;

you adopt the tongue of the crafty.

6 Your own mouth condemns you, not mine;

your own lips testify against you.

7 “Are you the first man ever born?

Were you brought forth before the hills?

8 Do you listen in on God’s council?

Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?

9 What do you know that we do not know?

What insights do you have that we do not have?

1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

2 Should a wise man utter vain knowledge,

And fill his belly with the east wind?

3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk?

Or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

4 Yea, thou castest off fear,

And restrainest prayer before God.

5 For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity,

And thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I:

Yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

7 Art thou the first man that was born?

Or wast thou made before the hills?

8 Hast thou heard the secret of God?

And dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

9 What knowest thou, that we know not?

What understandest thou, which is not in us?

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

2 “A wise man wouldn’t answer with such empty talk!

You are nothing but a windbag.

3 The wise don’t engage in empty chatter.

What good are such words?

4 Have you no fear of God,

no reverence for him?

5 Your sins are telling your mouth what to say.

Your words are based on clever deception.

6 Your own mouth condemns you, not I.

Your own lips testify against you.

7 “Were you the first person ever born?

Were you born before the hills were made?

8 Were you listening at God’s secret council?

Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?

9 What do you know that we don’t?

What do you understand that we do not?

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

2 “Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge,

And fill himself with the east wind?

3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk,

Or by speeches with which he can do no good?

4 Yes, you cast off fear,

And restrain prayer before God.

5 For your iniquity teaches your mouth,

And you choose the tongue of the crafty.

6 Your own mouth condemns you, and not I;

Yes, your own lips testify against you.

7 “Are you the first man who was born?

Or were you made before the hills?

8 Have you heard the counsel of God?

Do you limit wisdom to yourself?

9 What do you know that we do not know?

What do you understand that is not in us?

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:

2 “A wise person would not answer with empty words

or fill his stomach with the hot east wind.

3 He would not argue with useless words

or make speeches that have no value.

4 But you even destroy respect for God

and limit the worship of him.

5 Your sin teaches your mouth what to say;

you use words to trick others.

6 It is your own mouth, not mine, that shows you are wicked;

your own lips testify against you.

7 “You are not the first man ever born;

you are not older than the hills.

8 You did not listen in on God’s secret council.

But you limit wisdom to yourself.

9 You don’t know any more than we know.

You don’t understand any more than we understand.

1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

2 Should a wise man make answer with vain knowledge,

And fill himself with the east wind?

3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk,

Or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

4 Yea, thou doest away with fear,

And hinderest devotion before God.

5 For thine iniquity teacheth thy mouth,

And thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I;

Yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

7 Art thou the first man that was born?

Or wast thou brought forth before the hills?

8 Hast thou heard the secret counsel of God?

And dost thou limit wisdom to thyself?

9 What knowest thou, that we know not?

What understandest thou, which is not in us?

1 And Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 2 Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind, 3 Reasoning with unprofitable talk, and with speeches which do no good? 4 Yea, thou makest piety of none effect, and restrainest meditation before •God. 5 For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou hast chosen the tongue of the crafty. 6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I; and thy lips testify against thee. 7 Art thou the first man that was born? and wast thou brought forth before the hills? 8 Hast thou listened in the secret council of †God? And hast thou absorbed wisdom for thyself? 9 What knowest thou that we know not? what understandest thou which is not in us?

1 Then Eliphaz from Teman replied ⸤to Job⸥, 

2 “Should a wise person answer with endless details 

and fill his stomach with the east wind? 

3 Should he argue with words that don’t help, 

with speeches that don’t help ⸤anyone⸥? 

4 Yes, you destroy the fear ⸤of God⸥ 

and diminish devotion to God. 

5 Your sin teaches you what to say. 

You choose ⸤to talk with⸥ a sly tongue. 

6 Your ⸤own⸥ mouth condemns you, not I. 

Your lips testify against you. 

7 “Were you the first human to be born? 

Were you delivered before the hills ⸤existed⸥? 

8 Did you listen in on God’s council meeting 

and receive a monopoly on wisdom? 

9 What do you know that we don’t know? 

What do you understand that we don’t? 

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

2 Does a wise man answer with empty counsel

or fill himself with the hot east wind?

3 Should he argue with useless talk

or with words that serve no good purpose?

4 But you even undermine the fear of God

and hinder meditation before Him.

5 Your iniquity teaches you what to say,

and you choose the language of the crafty.

6 Your own mouth condemns you, not I;

your own lips testify against you.

7 Were you the first person ever born,

or were you brought forth before the hills?

8 Do you listen in on the council of God,

or have a monopoly on wisdom?

9 What do you know that we don’t?

What do you understand that is not clear to us?

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:

2 “Should the wise answer with windy knowledge,

and fill themselves with the east wind?

3 Should they argue in unprofitable talk,

or in words with which they can do no good?

4 But you are doing away with the fear of God,

and hindering meditation before God.

5 For your iniquity teaches your mouth,

and you choose the tongue of the crafty.

6 Your own mouth condemns you, and not I;

your own lips testify against you.

7 “Are you the firstborn of the human race?

Were you brought forth before the hills?

8 Have you listened in the council of God?

And do you limit wisdom to yourself?

9 What do you know that we do not know?

What do you understand that is not clear to us?

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2 “Should the wise answer with windy knowledge,

and should he fill his stomach with the east wind?

3 Should he argue in talk that is not profitable

or in words with which he cannot do good?

4 “What is worse, you yourself are doing away with fear,

and you are lessening meditation before God.

5 For your iniquity teaches your mouth,

and you choose the tongue of the crafty.

6 Your mouth condemns you, and not I;

and your lips testify against you.

7 “Were you born the firstborn of the human race?

And were you brought forth before the hills?

8 Have you listened in God’s confidential discussion?

And do you limit wisdom to yourself?

9 What do you know that we do not know?

What do you understand that is not clear to us?

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied,

2 “Job, if you were wise,

would you answer us with a lot of meaningless talk?

Would you fill your stomach with the hot east wind?

3 Would you argue with useless words?

Would you give worthless speeches?

4 But you even cause others to lose their respect for God.

You make it hard for them to be faithful to him.

5 Your sin makes you say evil things.

You talk like people who twist the truth.

6 Your own mouth judges you, not mine.

Your own lips witness against you.

7 “Are you the first man who was ever born?

Were you created before the hills?

8 Do you listen in when God speaks with his angels?

Do you think you are the only wise person?

9 What do you know that we don’t know?

What understanding do you have that we don’t have?

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,

2 “Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge

And fill himself with the east wind?

3 “Should he argue with useless talk,

Or with words which are not profitable?

4 “Indeed, you do away with reverence

And hinder meditation before God.

5 “For your guilt teaches your mouth,

And you choose the language of the crafty.

6 “Your own mouth condemns you, and not I;

And your own lips testify against you.

7 “Were you the first man to be born,

Or were you brought forth before the hills?

8 “Do you hear the secret counsel of God,

And limit wisdom to yourself?

9 “What do you know that we do not know?

What do you understand that we do not?