Eliphaz sets forth the disquietude of wicked men—They do not believe they will return out of darkness and be resurrected.
Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,2Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?3Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?4Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.
5For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.6Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.7Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?8Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
9What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?10With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.11Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?12Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,13That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?
14What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?115Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.16How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?17I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;18Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:19Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.
20The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.21A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.22He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.23He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.25For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.26He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:27Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.
28And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.29He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.30He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.31Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.
32It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.33He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.34For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.35They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.