Job 15

Thomson^{(i) 1} Here Eliphaz the Thaimanite taking up the argument said: ² Will a wise man give the wind of knowledge for an answer; though he hath therewith filled his labouring belly? ³ Or in pleading use arguments which he ought not; and words in which there is no profit? ⁴ Hast thou not cast off fear, and used such arguments before the Lord? ⁵ By the arguments of thine own mouth thou art guilty; and hast not discerned the arguments of the mighty. ⁶ Let thine own mouth and not me convict thee: thine own lips indeed will testify against thee. ⁷ What! wast thou born before men? Or wast thou brought into being before the hills? ⁸ Or hast thou heard the established system of the Lord? Or hath God used thee as his counsellor? Or hath wisdom made application to thee? ⁹ For what knowest thou, which we do not know? Or what dost thou understand which we do not? ¹⁰ Among us indeed are elders and aged men, more venerable for years than thy father. ¹¹ Thou hast been chastised less than thy sins deserve. ¹² Thou hast spoken with excessive haughtiness. To what a pitch of boldness is thy heart raised; or at what have thine eyes taken aim; ¹³ that thou shouldst vent wrath before the Lord, and utter such words from thy mouth? ¹⁴ For who being mortal can be irreprehensible? Or can the offspring of woman be righteous? ¹⁵ If in his holy ones he placeth not confidence; and the heaven is not pure in his sight; ¹⁶ how abominable and filthy must man be; who drinketh iniquity in, like water! ¹⁷ But let me tell thee; hear what I have seen; ¹⁸ let me tell thee what the wise say, and their fathers have not concealed; ¹⁹ They, to whom alone the earth was given; and no stranger came among them. ²⁰ The whole life of the wicked is spent in anxiety. Though a certain number of years is given to the oppressor: ²¹ yet the sound of terror is in his ears. When he seemeth to be at peace his destruction shall come. ²² Let him not hope to return out of darkness; for he is already doomed to the edge of the sword; ²³ and destined to be food for vultures. He knoweth within himself that he waiteth for a fall; and a dark day will torture him. ²⁴ Distress and anguish will overwhelm him; like a general at the head of troops falling upon him. ²⁵ Because he lifted up his hands against the Lord, and hardened his neck against the Lord Almighty: ²⁶ therefore he ran upon him contemptuously, with the thick boss of his buckler. ²⁷ Because he covered his face with fatness; and made collops of fat upon his thighs: ²⁸ let him therefore lodge in deserted cities; and go into uninhabited houses: and what they had got ready, let others carry off. ²⁹ Let him neither be enriched, nor what he hath continue. ³⁰ Let him never cast a shadow on the ground, nor escape out of darkness. ³¹ Let the wind blast his bud, and his blossom fall prematurely. Let him not hope to continue, for vanity shall be his portion. ³² Let his branch lopped unseasonably, die; and let not his young shoot flourish. ³³ Let him be gathered like unripe grapes before his time, and fall like the olive blossom. ³⁴ For death is the testimonial of a wicked man: and a fire shall consume the tents of bribery. He shall conceive sorrows and bring forth vanity, and his belly shall produce an illusion.