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1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
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2 Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
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3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?
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4 Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.
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5 For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
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6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
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7 Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?
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8 Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
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9 What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?
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10 With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.
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11 Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?
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12 Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,
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13 That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?
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14 What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
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15 Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
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16 How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?
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17 I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;
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18 Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:
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19 Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.
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20 The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.
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21 A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.
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22 He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.
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23 He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
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24 Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
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25 For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.
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26 He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:
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27 Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.
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28 And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.
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29 He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.
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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.
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31 Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.
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32 It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.
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33 He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.
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34 For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.
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35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.
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- 1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,
- 2 “Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge And fill himself with the east wind?
- 3 “Should he argue with useless talk, Or with words which are not profitable?
- 4 “Indeed, you do away with reverence And hinder meditation before God.
- 5 “For your guilt teaches your mouth, And you choose the language of the crafty.
- 6 “Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; And your own lips testify against you.
- 7 “Were you the first man to be born, Or were you brought forth before the hills?
- 8 “Do you hear the secret counsel of God, And limit wisdom to yourself?
- 9 “What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that we do not?
- 10 “Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, Older than your father.
- 11 “Are the consolations of God too small for you, Even the word spoken gently with you?
- 12 “Why does your heart carry you away? And why do your eyes flash,
- 13 That you should turn your spirit against God And allow such words to go out of your mouth?
- 14 “What is man, that he should be pure, Or he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
- 15 “Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones, And the heavens are not pure in His sight;
- 16 How much less one who is detestable and corrupt, Man, who drinks iniquity like water!
- 17 “I will tell you, listen to me; And what I have seen I will also declare;
- 18 What wise men have told, And have not concealed from their fathers,
- 19 To whom alone the land was given, And no alien passed among them.
- 20 “The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, And numbered are the years stored up for the ruthless.
- 21 “Sounds of terror are in his ears; While at peace the destroyer comes upon him.
- 22 “He does not believe that he will return from darkness, And he is destined for the sword.
- 23 “He wanders about for food, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that a day of darkness is at hand.
- 24 “Distress and anguish terrify him, They overpower him like a king ready for the attack,
- 25 Because he has stretched out his hand against God And conducts himself arrogantly against the Almighty.
- 26 “He rushes headlong at Him With his massive shield.
- 27 “For he has covered his face with his fat And made his thighs heavy with flesh.
- 28 “He has lived in desolate cities, In houses no one would inhabit, Which are destined to become ruins.
- 29 “He will not become rich, nor will his wealth endure; And his grain will not bend down to the ground.
- 30 “He will not escape from darkness; The flame will wither his shoots, And by the breath of His mouth he will go away.
- 31 “Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; For emptiness will be his reward.
- 32 “It will be accomplished before his time, And his palm branch will not be green.
- 33 “He will drop off his unripe grape like the vine, And will cast off his flower like the olive tree.
- 34 “For the company of the godless is barren, And fire consumes the tents of the corrupt.
- 35 “They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity, And their mind prepares deception.”
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