The Second Speech of Eliphaz
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied,
2“Job, would a wise person answer with a lot of meaningless talk?
Would they fill their stomach with the hot east wind?
3Would they argue with useless words?
Would they give worthless speeches?
4But you even cause others to lose their respect for God.
You make it hard for them to be faithful to him.
5Your sin makes you say evil things.
You talk like people who twist the truth.
6Your 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?
8Do you listen in when God speaks with his angels?
Do you think you are the only wise person?
9What do you know that we don’t know?
What understanding do you have that we don’t have?
10People who are old and gray are on our side.
And they are even older than your parents!
11Aren’t God’s words of comfort enough for you?
He speaks them to you gently.
12Why have you let your wild ideas carry you away?
Why do your eyes flash with anger?
13Why do you get so angry with God?
Why do words like those pour out of your mouth?
14“Can human beings really be pure?
Can those who are born really be right with God?
15God doesn’t trust his holy angels.
Even the heavens aren’t pure in his sight.
16So he’ll certainly find fault with human beings.
After all, they are evil and sinful.
They drink up evil as if it were water.
17“Listen to me. I’ll explain things to you.
Let me tell you what I’ve seen.
18I’ll tell you what those who are wise have said.
They don’t hide anything they’ve received
from their people of long ago.
19The land was given only to those people.
Their wisdom didn’t come from outsiders.
And here’s what those who are wise have said.
20Sinful people always suffer pain.
Mean people suffer all their lives.
21Terrifying sounds fill their ears.
When everything seems to be going well,
robbers attack them.
22They lose all hope of escaping the darkness of death.
They will certainly be killed by swords.
23Like vultures, they look around for food.
They know that the day they will die is near.
24Suffering and pain terrify them.
Their troubles overpower them,
like a king ready to attack his enemies.
25They shake their fists at God.
They brag about themselves and oppose the Mighty One.
26They boldly charge against him
with their thick, strong shields.
27“Their faces are very fat.
Their stomachs hang out.
28They’ll live in towns that have been destroyed.
They’ll live in houses where no one else lives.
The houses will crumble to pieces.
29They won’t be rich anymore. Their wealth won’t last.
Their property will no longer spread out over the land.
30They won’t escape the darkness of death.
A flame will dry up everything they have.
The breath of God will blow them away.
31Don’t let them fool themselves
by trusting in what is worthless.
They won’t get anything out of it.
32Even before they die, they will dry up.
No matter what they do, it won’t succeed.
33They’ll be like vines
that are stripped of their unripe grapes.
They’ll be like olive trees
that drop their flowers.
34People who are ungodly won’t have any children.
Fire will burn up the tents of people who accept money
from those who want special favors.
35Instead of having children,
ungodly people create suffering.
All they produce is evil.
They are full of lies.”
Eliphaz
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2“Would a wise person answer with empty notions
or fill their belly with the hot east wind?
3Would they argue with useless words,
with speeches that have no value?
4But you even undermine piety
and hinder devotion to God.
5Your sin prompts your mouth;
you adopt the tongue of the crafty.
6Your 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?
8Do you listen in on God’s council?
Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?
9What do you know that we do not know?
What insights do you have that we do not have?
10The gray-haired and the aged are on our side,
men even older than your father.
11Are God’s consolations not enough for you,
words spoken gently to you?
12Why has your heart carried you away,
and why do your eyes flash,
13so that you vent your rage against God
and pour out such words from your mouth?
14“What are mortals, that they could be pure,
or those born of woman, that they could be righteous?
15If God places no trust in his holy ones,
if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,
16how much less mortals, who are vile and corrupt,
who drink up evil like water!
17“Listen to me and I will explain to you;
let me tell you what I have seen,
18what the wise have declared,
hiding nothing received from their ancestors
19(to whom alone the land was given
when no foreigners moved among them):
20All his days the wicked man suffers torment,
the ruthless man through all the years stored up for him.
21Terrifying sounds fill his ears;
when all seems well, marauders attack him.
22He despairs of escaping the realm of darkness;
he is marked for the sword.
23He wanders about for food like a vulture;
he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
24Distress and anguish fill him with terror;
troubles overwhelm him, like a king poised to attack,
25because he shakes his fist at God
and vaunts himself against the Almighty,
26defiantly charging against him
with a thick, strong shield.
27“Though his face is covered with fat
and his waist bulges with flesh,
28he will inhabit ruined towns
and houses where no one lives,
houses crumbling to rubble.
29He will no longer be rich and his wealth will not endure,
nor will his possessions spread over the land.
30He will not escape the darkness;
a flame will wither his shoots,
and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away.
31Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless,
for he will get nothing in return.
32Before his time he will wither,
and his branches will not flourish.
33He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes,
like an olive tree shedding its blossoms.
34For the company of the godless will be barren,
and fire will consume the tents of those who love bribes.
35They conceive trouble and give birth to evil;
their womb fashions deceit.”
