Eliphaz’s Second Response to Job

15 Thena 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⌋,b you yourselfc are doing away with fear,

and you are lessening meditation ⌊before⌋d 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⌋e 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?

10 Both the gray-haired and the old are among us—

⌊those older than your father⌋.f

11 “Are the consolations of God too small for you,

a word spoken gently with you?

12 Why does your heart carry you away?

And why do your eyes flash,

13 that you turn your spirit against God,

and you let such words go out of your mouth?

14 “What is a human being, that he can be clean,

org that one born of a woman can be righteous?

15 Look, he does not trust his holy ones,

and the heavens are not clean in his eyes.

16 ⌊How much less⌋h he who is abominable and corrupt,i

a man drinking wickedness like water.

17 “I will show you, listen to me;

and what I have seen, I will tellj—

18 what wise men have told,

and they have not hidden that which is from their ancestors,

19 ⌊to whom alone⌋k the land was given,

and no stranger passed through their midst.

20 “All of the wicked one’s days he is writhing,

evenl through the number of years that are laid up for the tyrant.

21 Sounds of terror are in his ears;

in prosperity the destroyer will come against him.

22 ⌊He cannot trust that he will return⌋m from darkness,

and he himselfn is destined for the sword.

23 “He is wandering for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’

He knows that a day of darkness is ready ⌊at hand⌋.o

24 Anguish and distress terrify him;

theyp overpower him like a king ready for the battle.

25 Because he stretched out his hand against God,

and he was arrogant to Shaddai;

26 he ⌊stubbornly⌋q runs against him

⌊with his thick-bossed shield⌋.r

27 “Because he has covered his face with his fat

and has gathered fat upon his loins,

28 ⌊he will dwell⌋s in desolate cities,

in houses that they should not inhabit,

which are destined for rubble.

29 He will not become rich, and his wealth will not endure,

and their possessions will not stretch across the earth.t

30 “He will not escape from darkness;

a flame will dry up his new shoot,

and by the wind of his mouth he shall be removed.

31 Let him not trust in emptiness—he will be deceiving himself—

for worthlessness will be his recompense.

32 It will be paid in full ⌊before his time⌋,u

and his branch will not flourish.

33 “He will shake off his unripe fruit like the vine,

and he will cast off his blossom like the olive tree;

34 for the company of the godless is barren,

and fire consumes the tents of those who accept bribes.

35 They conceive trouble and bring forth mischief,

and their womb prepares deceit.”

Job’s Fifth Speech

16 Thena Job answered and said,

2 “I have heard many things like these;

all of you are ⌊miserable comforters⌋.b

3 Is there a limit to windy words?

What provokes you that you answer?

4 I myselfc also could talk as you,

if ⌊you were in my place⌋;d

I could join against you with words,

and I could shake at you with my head.

5 I coulde encourage you with my mouth,

and the solace of my lips wouldf ease the pain.

6 If I speak, my pain is not relieved;

and if I cease, how much will leave me?

7 “Surely now he has worn me out;

youg have devastated all my company.

8 Thush you shriveled me up;i

it became a witness.

And my leanness has risen up against me;

it testifies to my face.

9 His wrath has torn, and he has been hostile toward me;

he gnashed at me with his teeth.

My foe sharpens his eyes against me.

10 They gaped at me with their mouth;

they struck my cheeks with disgrace;

they have massed themselves together against me.

11 God delivers me to an evil one,

and he casts me into the hands of the wicked.

12 “I was at ease, thenj he broke me in two,

and he seized me by my neck;

thenk he shattered me

and set me up as a target for him.

13 His archers surround me;

he slashes open my kidneys, and he does not have compassion;

he pours out my gall on the ground.

14 He breached me ⌊breach upon breach⌋;l

he rushes at me like a warrior.

15 “I have sewed sackcloth on my skin,

and I have inserted ⌊my pride⌋m in the dust.

16 My face is red because of weeping,

and deep shadows are on my eyelids,

17 ⌊although⌋n violence is not on my hands,

and my prayer is pure.

18 “O earth, you should not cover my blood,

and let there be no placeo for my cry for help.

19 So now look, my witness is in the heavens,

and he who vouches for me is in the heights.

20 My friends scorn me;

my eye pours out tears to God,

21 and it arguesp for a mortal with God,

and as ⌊a human⌋q for his friend.

22 Indeed, after ⌊a few years⌋r have come,

thens I will go the way from which I will not return.

Job’s Fifth Speech, Continued

17 “My spirit is pulled down; my days are extinguished;

the graveyard is for me.

2 ⌊Surely⌋a mockery is with me,

and my eye ⌊rests⌋b on their provocation.

3 Please lay down a pledge for me with yourself;

who is he who will give security for my hand?c

4 Indeed,d you have closed their mind from understanding;

therefore, you will not let them triumph.

5 He denounces friends for reward,

soe his children’s eyes will fail.

6 “And he has made me a proverb forf the peoples,

⌊and I am one before whom people spit⌋.g

7 And my eye has grown dim from grief,

and the limbs of my body are allh like a shadow.

8 The upright are appalled at this,

and the innocent excites himself over the godless.

9 Buti the righteous holds on to his way,

and ⌊he who has clean hands⌋j increases in strength.

10 Butk ⌊all of you must return⌋l—⌊please come⌋!m

Butn I shall not find a wise person among you.

11 “My days are past; my plans are broken down—

even the desires of my heart.

12 They make night into day,

saying, ‘Light is ⌊near to darkness⌋.’o

13 If I hope for Sheol as my house,

if I spread my couch in the darkness,

14 if I call to the pit, ‘You are my father,’

to the maggot, ‘You are my mother orp my sister,’

15 whereq then is my hope?

And ⌊who will see my hope⌋?r

16 Will they go down to the bars of Sheol?

Or shall we descend together into the dust?”