The Book of Job

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- Kapitel 15 -

Eliphaz accuses Job of folly

And Eliphaz the Themanite, answered, and said:

Will a wise man answer as if he were speaking in the wind, and fill his stomach with burning heat?

Thou reprovest him by words, who is not equal to thee, and thou speakest that which is not good for thee.

As much as is in thee, thou hast made void fear, and hast taken away prayers from before God.

For thy iniquity hath taught thy mouth, and thou imitatest the tongue of blasphemers.

Thy own mouth shall condemn thee, and not I: and thy own lips shall answer thee.

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

Hast thou heard God’s counsel, and shall his wisdom be inferior to thee?

What knowest thou that we are ignorant of? what dost thou understand that we know not?

There are with us also aged and ancient men, much elder than thy fathers.

Is it a great matter that God should comfort thee? but thy wicked words hinder this.

Why doth thy heart elevate thee, and why dost thou stare with thy eyes, as if they were thinking great things?

Why doth thy spirit swell against God, to utter such words out of thy mouth?

What is man that he should be without spot, and he that is born of a woman that he should appear just?

Behold among his saints none is unchangeable, and the heavens are not pure in his sight.

How much more is man abominable, and unprofitable, who drinketh iniquity like water?

I will shew thee, hear me: and I will tell thee what I have seen.

Wise men confess and hide not their fathers.

To whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger hath passed among them.

The wicked man is proud all his days, and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain.

The sound of dread is always in his ears: and when there is peace, he always suspecteth treason.

He believeth not that he may return from darkness to light, looking round about for the sword on every side.

When he moveth himself to seek bread, he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

Tribulation shall terrify him, and distress shall surround him, as a king that is prepared for the battle.

For he hath stretched out his hand against God, and hath strengthened himself against the Almighty.

He hath run against him with his neck raised up, and is armed with a fat neck.

Fatness hath covered his face, and the fat hangeth down on his sides.

He hath dwelt in desolate cities, and in desert houses that are reduced into heaps.

He shall not be enriched, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he push his root in the earth.

He shall not depart out of darkness: the flame shall dry up his branches, and he shall be taken away by the breath of his own month.

He shall not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he may be redeemed with any price.

Before his days be full he shall perish: and his hands shall wither away.

He shall be blasted as a vine when its grapes are in the first flower, and as an olive tree that casteth its flower.

For the congregation of the hypocrite is barren, and fire shall devour their tabernacles, who love to take bribes.

He hath conceived sorrow, and hath brought forth iniquity, and his womb prepareth deceits.

Eliphaz accuses Job of folly

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

“Should a wise man answer with vain knowledge, and fill himself with the east wind?

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

Yes, you do away with fear, and hinder devotion before God.

For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.

Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.

“Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought out before the hills?

Have you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?

What do you know that we don’t know? What do you understand which is not in us?

With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, much older than your father.

Are the consolations of God too small for you, even the word that is gentle toward you?

Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,

that you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?

What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

Behold, he puts no trust in his holy ones. Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight;

how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!

“I will show you, listen to me; that which I have seen I will declare

(which wise men have told by their fathers, and have not hidden it;

to whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them):

the wicked man writhes in pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.

A sound of terrors is in his ears. In prosperity the destroyer will come on him.

He doesn’t believe that he will return out of darkness. He is waited for by the sword.

He wanders abroad for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’ He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

Distress and anguish make him afraid. They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.

Because he has stretched out his hand against God, and behaves himself proudly against the Almighty,

he runs at him with a stiff neck, with the thick shields of his bucklers,

because he has covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat on his thighs.

He has lived in desolate cities, in houses which no one inhabited, which were ready to become heaps.

He will not be rich, neither will his substance continue, neither will their possessions be extended on the earth.

He will not depart out of darkness. The flame will dry up his branches. He will go away by the breath of God’s mouth.

Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his reward.

It will be accomplished before his time. His branch will not be green.

He will shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and will cast off his flower as the olive tree.

For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.

They conceive mischief and produce iniquity. Their heart prepares deceit.”