1 ¶ Then Eliphaz the Temanite said,

2 Should a wise man utter worthless counsel, and fill his belly with the east wind?

3 Should he reason with words that do not help? or with talk that can do no good?

4 Yea, you cast away the fear of God, and resist prayer to him.

5 For your mouth reveals your sin, and you choose the language of the deceiver.

6 Your own mouth condemns you, and not I: yea, your own lips testify against you.

7 Are you the first man who was born? or were you made before the hills?

8 Did you listen in on the secret counsel of God? and do you limit wisdom to yourself?

9 What do you know, that we do not know? what do you understand, that we do not?

10 Among us are men who are gray-headed and very old, much older than your father.

11 Are the consolations of God insignificant to you? are you harboring any secret?

12 Why do you let your feelings carry you away? and why do your eyes flash in anger,

13 When you rage against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?

14 What is man, that he should be clean? and he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

15 Behold, God puts no confidence in his holy ones; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.

16 How much more abominable and filthy is man, who drinks iniquity like water?

17 ¶ I will tell you, listen to me; and I will proclaim what I have seen;

18 What wise men have been told by their fathers, and have not hidden:

19 To them alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.

20 The wicked man suffers with pain all his days, and only few years are allotted to the oppressor.

21 Terror sounds in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer will come upon him.

22 He does not believe that he shall come back out of darkness, and the sword is waiting for him.

23 He wanders around for food, saying, Where is it? he knows that the day of darkness is already close at hand.

24 Trouble and anguish make him afraid; they will prevail against him, as a king ready for the battle.

25 For he stretches out his hand against God, and strengthens himself against the Almighty.

26 He runs headlong against him, with a thick studded shield:

27 He has bloated his face with fat, and added layers of fat around his waist.

28 And he lives in ruined cities, and in houses that no one lives in, which are ready to collapse.

29 He will not be rich, nor will his wealth last, nor will his possessions reach the grave.

30 He will not escape from darkness; flame will consume his branches, and he will depart by the breath of God’s mouth.

31 Do not let him who is deceived trust in what is worthless: for his reward will be worthless.

32 He will get it before his time has come, and his branch will not flourish.

33 He will shake off his unripe grapes like the vine, and will cast off his flower like the olive.

34 For the congregation of hypocrites will be desolate, and fire will consume the dwelling place of bribery.

35 They conceive mischief, and give birth to iniquity, and their belly nurtures deceit.