1 But Eliphaz the Themanite, answering, said 2 Will a wise man answer as if he were speaking wind, and will he fill his stomach with fire 3 You rebuke with words he who is not equal to you, and you speak what is not expedient for you 4 to such an extent that, within yourself, you have expelled reverence and have taken away prayers from the presence of God 5 For your iniquity has mislead your mouth, and you imitate the tongue of blasphemers 6 Your own mouth will condemn you, not I; and your own lips will answer you 7 Are you the first man who was born, or were you formed before the hills 8 Have you heard the intentions of God, and will his wisdom be inferior to you 9 What do you know, about which we are ignorant? What do you understand that we do not know 10 There are with us both aged and ancient men, even more senior than your fathers 11 Is it so important that God should console you? But your own depraved words prevent this 12 Why does your heart exalt you, and why do you gaze with your eyes, as if thinking great things 13 Why does your spirit stir against God, so as to utter such speeches from your mouth 14 What is man that he should be immaculate, and that he should appear just, having been born of woman 15 Behold, among his holy ones not one is immutable, and even the heavens are not pure in his sight 16 How much more abominable and useless is the man who drinks as if from the water of iniquity 17 I will reveal to you, so listen to me; and I will explain to you what I have seen 18 The wise acknowledge, and they do not leave behind, their fathers 19 to whom alone the earth has been given, and no stranger passed among them 20 The impious is arrogant for all his days, and the number of the years of his tyranny is uncertain 21 The sound of terror is always in his ears; and when there is peace, he always suspects treason 22 He does not believe that it is possible for him to be turned from darkness into the light, for he sees around him the sword on every side 23 When he moves himself to seek bread, he knows that the day of darkness has been prepared for his hand 24 Tribulation will terrify him, and anguish will prevail over him, like a king who is being prepared to go to battle 25 For he has extended his hand against God, and he has strengthened himself against the Almighty 26 He has rushed against him with his throat exposed, and he has been armed with a fat neck 27 Thickness has covered his face, and lard hangs down from his sides 28 He has lived in desolate cities and deserted houses, which have been turned into tombs 29 He will not be enriched, nor will his basic necessities endure, nor will he establish his root in the earth 30 He will not withdraw from the darkness; the flame will burn up his branches, and he will be defeated by the breath of his own mouth 31 He will not believe, being vainly deceived by error, that he could be redeemed at any price 32 Before his time is completed, he will pass into ruin and his hands will wither away 33 He will be wounded like a grapevine, when its cluster is in first flower, and like an olive tree that casts off its flower 34 For the congregation of the hypocrites is fruitless, and fire will devour the tabernacles of those who love to accept money 35 He has conceived sorrow, and he has brought forth iniquity, and his womb prepares deceit
