 1 Eliphaz the Temanite said, 2 Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? 3 Should he reason with talk that is not useful, or with speeches that have no profit? 4 Yes, you do away with fear, and take away prayer before God. 5 For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty. 6 your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you. 7 Were you the first man born? Or were you made before the hills? 8 Have you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself? 9 What do you know that we do not know, or understand that is not with us? 10 With us are both the gray headed and aged, mightier than your father as to days. 11 Are the comforts of God small with you, and a word dealing gently with you? 12 Why does your heart carry you away? And what do your eyes wink at, 13 that you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth? 14 What is man, that he should be clean? And what is he born of a woman that he should be righteous? 15 Behold, He puts no trust in His saints. Yes, the heavens are not clean in His sight. 16 How much more hateful and filthy is man, who drinks iniquity like water? 17 I will show you. Hear me. And what I have seen I will declare, 18 what wise men have told, and have not hidden from their fathers; 19 to them alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them. 20 The wicked man labors in pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden for the ruthless one. 21 A dreadful sound of things is in his ears. The destroyer will come to him in peace. 22 He does not believe in a return from darkness, but he is awaited by the sword. 23 He wanders for bread saying, Where is it? He knows that the day of darkness is ready at hand. 24 Trouble and pain will terrify him. They will overpower him, as a king ready for the battle; 25 because he stretches out his hand against God, and sets himself against the Almighty. 26 He runs at him, with a stiff neck, with thick layers of his shields. 27 He has covered his face with fat and put layers+ of fat on his flanks. 28 He lives in cut off cities, in houses where none are living that are ready to become heaps. 29 He will not be rich nor will his wealth hold out, nor will he stretch out his gain on the earth. 30 He will not escape from darkness. The flame will dry up his branches and at the breath of his mouth he will turn away. 31 Do not let him be deceived by trusting in vanity. For vanity will be his reward. 32 It will be done before his time and his branch will not be green. 33 He will shake off its unripe grape, as the vine. And cast off his flower like the olive. 34 For the company of the ungodly will be barren, and fire will devour the tents of bribery. 35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth evil, and their belly prepares deceit.
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