15:1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
15:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

15:2 Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
15:2 "Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge, And fill himself with the east wind?

15:3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?
15:3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk, Or by speeches with which he can do no good?

15:4 Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.
15:4 Yes, you cast off fear, And restrain prayer before God.

15:5 For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
15:5 For your iniquity teaches your mouth, And you choose the tongue of the crafty.

15:6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
15:6 Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; Yes, your own lips testify against you.

15:7 [Art] thou the first man [that] was born? or wast thou made before the hills?
15:7 "Are you the first man who was born? Or were you made before the hills?

15:8 Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
15:8 Have you heard the counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?

15:9 What knowest thou, that we know not? [what] understandest thou, which [is] not in us?
15:9 What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not in us?

15:10 With us [are] both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.
15:10 Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, Much older than your father.

15:11 [Are] the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?
15:11 Are the consolations of God too small for you, And the word spoken gently with you?

15:12 Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,
15:12 Why does your heart carry you away, And what do your eyes wink at,

15:13 That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest [such] words go out of thy mouth?
15:13 That you turn your spirit against God, And let such words go out of your mouth?

15:14 What [is] man, that he should be clean? and [he which is] born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
15:14 "What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?

15:15 Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
15:15 If God puts no trust in His saints, And the heavens are not pure in His sight,

15:16 How much more abominable and filthy [is] man, which drinketh iniquity like water?
15:16 How much less man, who is abominable and filthy, Who drinks iniquity like water!

15:17 I will shew thee, hear me; and that [which] I have seen I will declare;
15:17 "I will tell you, hear me; What I have seen I will declare,

15:18 Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid [it]:
15:18 What wise men have told, Not hiding anything received from their fathers,

15:19 Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.
15:19 To whom alone the land was given, And no alien passed among them:

15:20 The wicked man travaileth with pain all [his] days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.
15:20 The wicked man writhes with pain all his days, And the number of years is hidden from the oppressor.

15:21 A dreadful sound [is] in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.
15:21 Dreadful sounds are in his ears; In prosperity the destroyer comes upon him.

15:22 He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.
15:22 He does not believe that he will return from darkness, For a sword is waiting for him.

15:23 He wandereth abroad for bread, [saying], Where [is it]? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
15:23 He wanders about for bread, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that a day of darkness is ready at his hand.

15:24 Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
15:24 Trouble and anguish make him afraid; They overpower him, like a king ready for battle.

15:25 For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.
15:25 For he stretches out his hand against God, And acts defiantly against the Almighty,

15:26 He runneth upon him, [even] on [his] neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:
15:26 Running stubbornly against Him With his strong, embossed shield.

15:27 Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on [his] flanks.
15:27 "Though he has covered his face with his fatness, And made his waist heavy with fat,

15:28 And he dwelleth in desolate cities, [and] in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.
15:28 He dwells in desolate cities, In houses which no one inhabits, Which are destined to become ruins.

15:29 He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.
15:29 He will not be rich, Nor will his wealth continue, Nor will his possessions overspread the earth.

15:30 He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.
15:30 He will not depart from darkness; The flame will dry out his branches, And by the breath of His mouth he will go away.

15:31 Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.
15:31 Let him not trust in futile things, deceiving himself, For futility will be his reward.

15:32 It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.
15:32 It will be accomplished before his time, And his branch will not be green.

15:33 He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.
15:33 He will shake off his unripe grape like a vine, And cast off his blossom like an olive tree.

15:34 For the congregation of hypocrites [shall be] desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.
15:34 For the company of hypocrites will be barren, And fire will consume the tents of bribery.

15:35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.
15:35 They conceive trouble and bring forth futility; Their womb prepares deceit."