Job 15:1-16
Job 15:1-16 The Message (MSG)
Eliphaz of Teman spoke a second time: “If you were truly wise, would you sound so much like a windbag, belching hot air? Would you talk nonsense in the middle of a serious argument, babbling baloney? Look at you! You trivialize religion, turn spiritual conversation into empty gossip. It’s your sin that taught you to talk this way. You chose an education in fraud. Your own words have exposed your guilt. It’s nothing I’ve said—you’ve incriminated yourself! Do you think you’re the first person to have to deal with these things? Have you been around as long as the hills? Were you listening in when God planned all this? Do you think you’re the only one who knows anything? What do you know that we don’t know? What insights do you have that we’ve missed? Gray beards and white hair back us up— old folks who’ve been around a lot longer than you. Are God’s promises not enough for you, spoken so gently and tenderly? Why do you let your emotions take over, lashing out and spitting fire, Pitting your whole being against God by letting words like this come out of your mouth? Do you think it’s possible for any mere mortal to be sinless in God’s sight, for anyone born of a human mother to get it all together? Why, God can’t even trust his holy angels. He sees the flaws in the very heavens themselves, So how much less we humans, smelly and foul, who lap up evil like water?
Job 15:1-16 King James Version (KJV)
Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said, Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, And fill his belly with the east wind? Should he reason with unprofitable talk? Or with speeches wherewith he can do no good? Yea, thou castest off fear, And restrainest prayer before God. For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, And thou choosest the tongue of the crafty. Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: Yea, thine own lips testify against thee. Art thou the first man that was born? Or wast thou made before the hills? Hast thou heard the secret of God? And dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself? What knowest thou, that we know not? What understandest thou, which is not in us? With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, Much elder than thy father. Are the consolations of God small with thee? Is there any secret thing with thee? Why doth thine heart carry thee away? And what do thy eyes wink at, That thou turnest thy spirit against God, And lettest such words go out of thy mouth? What is man, that he should be clean? And he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; Yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. How much more abominable and filthy is man, Which drinketh iniquity like water?
Job 15:1-16 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded, “Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge And fill himself with the east wind? Should he argue with useless talk, Or with words which are not profitable? Indeed, you do away with reverence And hinder meditation before God. For your guilt teaches your mouth, And you choose the language of the crafty. Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; And your own lips testify against you. “Were you the first man to be born, Or were you brought forth before the hills? Do you hear the secret counsel of God, And limit wisdom to yourself? What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that we do not? Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, Older than your father. Are the consolations of God too small for you, Even the word spoken gently with you? Why does your heart carry you away? And why do your eyes flash, That you should turn your spirit against God And allow such words to go out of your mouth? What is man, that he should be pure, Or he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones, And the heavens are not pure in His sight; How much less one who is detestable and corrupt, Man, who drinks iniquity like water!
Job 15:1-16 New Century Version (NCV)
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered: “A wise person would not answer with empty words or fill his stomach with the hot east wind. He would not argue with useless words or make speeches that have no value. But you even destroy respect for God and limit the worship of him. Your sin teaches your mouth what to say; you use words to trick others. It is your own mouth, not mine, that shows you are wicked; your own lips testify against you. “You are not the first man ever born; you are not older than the hills. You did not listen in on God’s secret council. But you limit wisdom to yourself. You don’t know any more than we know. You don’t understand any more than we understand. Old people with gray hair are on our side; they are even older than your father. Is the comfort God gives you not enough for you, even when words are spoken gently to you? Has your heart carried you away from God? Why do your eyes flash with anger? Why do you speak out your anger against God? Why do these words pour out of your mouth? “How can anyone be pure? How can someone born to a woman be good? God places no trust in his holy ones, and even the heavens are not pure in his eyes. How much less pure is one who is terrible and rotten and drinks up evil as if it were water!
Job 15:1-16 American Standard Version (ASV)
Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said, Should a wise man make answer with vain knowledge, And fill himself with the east wind? Should he reason with unprofitable talk, Or with speeches wherewith he can do no good? Yea, thou doest away with fear, And hinderest devotion before God. For thine iniquity teacheth thy mouth, And thou choosest the tongue of the crafty. Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I; Yea, thine own lips testify against thee. Art thou the first man that was born? Or wast thou brought forth before the hills? Hast thou heard the secret counsel of God? And dost thou limit wisdom to thyself? What knowest thou, that we know not? What understandest thou, which is not in us? With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, Much elder than thy father. Are the consolations of God too small for thee, Even the word that is gentle toward thee? Why doth thy heart carry thee away? And why do thine eyes flash, That against God thou turnest thy spirit, And lettest words go out of thy mouth? What is man, that he should be clean? And he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? Behold, he putteth no trust in his holy ones; Yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight: How much less one that is abominable and corrupt, A man that drinketh iniquity like water!
Job 15:1-16 New International Version (Anglicised) (NIVUK)
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: ‘Would a wise person answer with empty notions or fill their belly with the hot east wind? Would they argue with useless words, with speeches that have no value? But you even undermine piety and hinder devotion to God. Your sin prompts your mouth; you adopt the tongue of the crafty. Your own mouth condemns you, not mine; your own lips testify against you. ‘Are you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills? Do you listen in on God’s council? Do you have a monopoly on wisdom? What do you know that we do not know? What insights do you have that we do not have? The grey-haired and the aged are on our side, men even older than your father. Are God’s consolations not enough for you, words spoken gently to you? Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash, so that you vent your rage against God and pour out such words from your mouth? ‘What are mortals, that they could be pure, or those born of woman, that they could be righteous? If God places no trust in his holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes, how much less mortals, who are vile and corrupt, who drink up evil like water!
Job 15:1-16 New King James Version (NKJV)
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: “Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge, And fill himself with the east wind? Should he reason with unprofitable talk, Or by speeches with which he can do no good? Yes, you cast off fear, And restrain prayer before God. For your iniquity teaches your mouth, And you choose the tongue of the crafty. Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; Yes, your own lips testify against you. “Are you the first man who was born? Or were you made before the hills? Have you heard the counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself? What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not in us? Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, Much older than your father. Are the consolations of God too small for you, And the word spoken gently with you? Why does your heart carry you away, And what do your eyes wink at, That you turn your spirit against God, And let such words go out of your mouth? “What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous? If God puts no trust in His saints, And the heavens are not pure in His sight, How much less man, who is abominable and filthy, Who drinks iniquity like water!
Job 15:1-16 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered [Job] and said, “Should a wise man [such as you] utter such windy and vain knowledge [as we have just heard] And fill himself with the east wind [of withering, parching, and violent accusations]? “Should he rebuke and argue with useless talk? Or with words in which there is no benefit? “Indeed, you are doing away with fear, And you are diminishing meditation before God. “For your guilt teaches your mouth, And you choose [to speak] the language of the crafty and cunning. “Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; Yes, your own lips testify against you. ¶“Were you the first man to be born [the original wise man], Or were you created before the hills? “Do you hear the secret counsel of God, And do you limit [the possession of] wisdom to yourself? “What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not equally clear to us? “Among us are both the gray-haired and the aged, Older than your father. “Are the consolations of God [as we have interpreted them to you] too trivial for you, [Or] were we too gentle toward you [in our first speech] to be effective? “Why does your heart carry you away [allowing you to be controlled by emotion]? And why do your eyes flash [in anger or contempt], That you should turn your spirit against God And let such words [as you have spoken] go out of your mouth? “What is man, that he should be pure and clean, Or he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous and just? “Behold, God puts no trust in His holy ones (angels); Indeed, the heavens are not pure in His sight— How much less [pure and clean is] the one who is repulsive and corrupt, Man, who drinks unrighteousness and injustice like water!
Job 15:1-16 New Living Translation (NLT)
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: “A wise man wouldn’t answer with such empty talk! You are nothing but a windbag. The wise don’t engage in empty chatter. What good are such words? Have you no fear of God, no reverence for him? Your sins are telling your mouth what to say. Your words are based on clever deception. Your own mouth condemns you, not I. Your own lips testify against you. “Were you the first person ever born? Were you born before the hills were made? Were you listening at God’s secret council? Do you have a monopoly on wisdom? What do you know that we don’t? What do you understand that we do not? On our side are aged, gray-haired men much older than your father! “Is God’s comfort too little for you? Is his gentle word not enough? What has taken away your reason? What has weakened your vision, that you turn against God and say all these evil things? Can any mortal be pure? Can anyone born of a woman be just? Look, God does not even trust the angels. Even the heavens are not absolutely pure in his sight. How much less pure is a corrupt and sinful person with a thirst for wickedness!
Job 15:1-16 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: “Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? Should he argue in unprofitable talk, or in words with which he can do no good? But you are doing away with the fear of God and hindering meditation before God. For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty. Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; your own lips testify against you. “Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought forth before the hills? Have you listened in the council of God? And do you limit wisdom to yourself? What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not clear to us? Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, older than your father. Are the comforts of God too small for you, or the word that deals gently with you? Why does your heart carry you away, and why do your eyes flash, that you turn your spirit against God and bring such words out of your mouth? What is man, that he can be pure? Or he who is born of a woman, that he can be righteous? Behold, God puts no trust in his holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in his sight; how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks injustice like water!