The Reading
Job 15
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
"Should the wise answer with windy knowledge,
and should he fill his stomach with the east wind?
Should he argue in talk that is not profitable
or in words with which he cannot do good?
"What is worse, you yourself are doing away with fear,
and you are lessening meditation before God.
For your iniquity teaches your mouth,
and you choose the tongue of the crafty.
Your mouth condemns you, and not I;
and your lips testify against you.
"Were you born the firstborn of the human race?
And were you brought forth before the hills?
Have you listened in God's confidential discussion?
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 old are among us—
those older than your father.
"Are the consolations of God too small for you,
a word spoken gently with you?
Why does your heart carry you away?
And why do your eyes flash,
that you turn your spirit against God,
and you let such words go out of your mouth?
"What is a human being, that he can be clean,
or that one born of a woman can be righteous?
Look, he does not trust his holy ones,
and the heavens are not clean in his eyes.
How much less he who is abominable and corrupt,
a man drinking wickedness like water.
"I will show you, listen to me;
and what I have seen, I will tell—
what wise men have told,
and they have not hidden that which is from their ancestors,
to whom alone the land was given,
and no stranger passed through their midst.
"All of the wicked one's days he is writhing,
even through the number of years that are laid up for the tyrant.
Sounds of terror are in his ears;
in prosperity the destroyer will come against him.
He cannot trust that he will return from darkness,
and he himself is destined for the sword.
"He is wandering for bread, saying, 'Where is it?'
He knows that a day of darkness is ready at hand.
Anguish and distress terrify him;
they overpower him like a king ready for the battle.
Because he stretched out his hand against God,
and he was arrogant to Shaddai;
he stubbornly runs against him
with his thick-bossed shield.
"Because he has covered his face with his fat
and has gathered fat upon his loins,
he will dwell in desolate cities,
in houses that they should not inhabit,
which are destined for rubble.
He will not become rich, and his wealth will not endure,
and their possessions will not stretch across the earth.
"He will not escape from darkness;
a flame will dry up his new shoot,
and by the wind of his mouth he shall be removed.
Let him not trust in emptiness—he will be deceiving himself—
for worthlessness will be his recompense.
It will be paid in full before his time,
and his branch will not flourish.
"He will shake off his unripe fruit like the vine,
and he will cast off his blossom like the olive tree;
for the company of the godless is barren,
and fire consumes the tents of those who accept bribes.
They conceive trouble and bring forth mischief,
and their womb prepares deceit."
Job 16
Then Job answered and said,
"I have heard many things like these;
all of you are miserable comforters.
Is there a limit to windy words?
What provokes you that you answer?
I myself also could talk as you,
if you were in my place;
I could join against you with words,
and I could shake at you with my head.
I could encourage you with my mouth,
and the solace of my lips would ease the pain.
If I speak, my pain is not relieved;
and if I cease, how much will leave me?
"Surely now he has worn me out;
you have devastated all my company.
Thus you shriveled me up;
it became a witness.
And my leanness has risen up against me;
it testifies to my face.
His wrath has torn, and he has been hostile toward me;
he gnashed at me with his teeth.
My foe sharpens his eyes against me.
They gaped at me with their mouth;