¶ Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said:
Should a wise man answer as the science of the wind, and fill his belly with the wind of the east?
Thou reprovest with words, that are nothing worth: and speakest the things, which can do no good.
As for shame, thou hast set it aside, else wouldest thou not make so many words before God:
but thy wickedness teacheth thy mouth, and so thou hast chosen thee a crafty tongue.
Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea thine own lips shape the answer.
Art thou the first man, that ever was born? Or, wast thou made before the hills?
hast thou heard the secret counsel of God, that all wisdom is too little for thee?
What knowest thou, that we know not? What understandest thou, but we can the same?
With us are old and aged men, yea such as have lived longer than thy forefathers.
Thinkest thou it a small thing of the consolations of God? and are they with the living word.
Why doth thine heart make thee so proud? Why stondest thou so greatly in thine own conceit? Where unto look thine eyes,
that thy mind is so puffed up against God and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?
What is man, that he should be clean? what hath he (which is born of a woman) whereby he might be known to be righteous?
Behold there is no trust to his saints: yea the very heavens are not clean in his sight.
How much more then an abominable and vile man, which drinketh wickedness like water?
¶ I will tell thee, hear me: I will shew thee a thing, that I know:
which wise men have told, and hath not been hid from their fathers:
unto whom only the land was given, that no stranger should come among them.
The ungodly despaireth all the days of his life, and the number of a tyrants years is unknown.
A fearful sound is ever in his ears, and when it is peace yet feareth he destruction:
He believeth never to be delivered out of darkness, the sword is alway before his eyes.
When he goeth forth to get his living, he thinketh plainly, that the day of darkness is at hand.
Sorrow and carefulness make him afraid, and compass him round about, like as it where a king with his host ready to the battle.
For he hath stretched out his hand against God, and armed himself against the Almighty.
He runneth proudly upon him, and with a stiffneck fighteth he against him:
where as he covereth his face with fatness, and maketh his body well liking.
Therefore shall his dwelling be in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabits, but are become heaps of stones.
He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, nor increase upon earth.
He shall never come out of darkness, the flame shall dry up his branches, with the blast of the mouth of God shall he be taken away.
He will never apply himself to faithfulness and truth, so sore is he deceived with vanity.
He shall perish, afore his time be worn out, and his hand shall not be green.
He shall be plucked off as an untimely grape from the vine, and shall let his flower fall, as the olive doth.
For the congregation of hypocrites is unfruitful, and the fire shall consume the houses of such, as are greedy to receive gifts.
He conceiveth travail, he beareth mischief, and his body bringeth forth deceit.
Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.