Job 15 summary meaning ai explained commentary

Job 15 meaning explained in AI Summary

In Job chapter 15, Eliphaz, one of Job's friends, becomes increasingly frustrated and harsh in his response to Job's continued lament and questioning of God's justice. Here's a summary:

Eliphaz's Rebuke:

Empty Words (15:1-10): Eliphaz begins by accusing Job of speaking "empty words" and "windy arguments" that offer no comfort or wisdom. He implies that Job's suffering is proof of his sinfulness and that his words only further his own misery.
Pride and Rebellion (15:11-16): Eliphaz then accuses Job of pride and rebellion against God. He argues that humans are inherently wicked and impure, incapable of being righteous in God's sight. He suggests that Job's suffering is a direct result of his arrogance in questioning God's judgment.
The Fate of the Wicked (15:17-35): Eliphaz goes on to describe the bleak fate that awaits the wicked, using vivid imagery of darkness, fear, and destruction. He paints a picture of a life filled with anxiety, restlessness, and ultimately, divine judgment.

Key Themes:

Retribution Theology: Eliphaz's speech reinforces the traditional belief system of retribution theology, which states that suffering is a direct consequence of sin. He sees Job's suffering as evidence of his hidden wickedness.
Human Sinfulness: Eliphaz emphasizes the inherent sinfulness of humanity, arguing that no one is righteous in God's eyes. This view leaves little room for grace or mercy.
Misunderstanding of Job's Suffering: Eliphaz completely misinterprets the nature of Job's suffering, attributing it to sin rather than recognizing it as a test of faith.

Overall:

Chapter 15 marks a turning point in the book of Job, as Eliphaz's tone becomes more accusatory and judgmental. His words, while intending to offer comfort, only serve to deepen Job's pain and isolation. This chapter highlights the limitations of human understanding in the face of suffering and the dangers of applying simplistic explanations to complex situations.

Job 15 bible study ai commentary

Eliphaz’s second speech marks a significant escalation in the debate. He moves from theoretical counsel to direct, harsh accusation, interpreting Job's profound suffering and honest laments as evidence of arrogant impiety. Eliphaz marshals the authority of tradition and a rigid retribution theology to condemn Job, asserting that Job’s own words prove his guilt. He paints a terrifying picture of the wicked man’s fate, a portrait clearly intended to represent Job, arguing that such suffering can only be the result of great sin.

Job 15 context

The setting is a wisdom debate, a common literary form in the Ancient Near East. The core theological framework presented by Eliphaz is Retribution Theology: the belief that God mechanically rewards the righteous and punishes the wicked within their earthly lives. This was a prevailing view, but the book of Job as a whole challenges its simplistic and rigid application. Eliphaz represents the voice of established, traditional wisdom that prioritizes doctrinal tidiness over compassion for individual, lived experience. His speech draws heavily on shared cultural imagery of divine judgment, such as drought, barrenness, and sudden terror.

Job 15:1-3

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: “Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? Should he argue in unprofitable talk, or with words with which he can do no good?”

In-depth-analysis

Eliphaz launches a direct ad hominem attack, questioning Job's status as a "wise man" (ḥākām).
Empty knowledge: Hebrew is daʿat-rûaḥ, literally "knowledge of wind." It implies knowledge that is insubstantial, empty, and useless.
East wind: qāḏîm. This was a scorching, destructive desert wind, not a gentle breeze. Eliphaz accuses Job of being full of violent, destructive, and hot-headed talk. His arguments are not just empty, but damaging.
The "belly" was seen as the seat of thought and emotion. Eliphaz is saying Job's very core is filled with this destructive emptiness.
He dismisses Job's entire defense as "unprofitable talk," having no redemptive or practical value.

Bible references

Ecclesiastes 1:14: "I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind." (Job's words are futile, like chasing wind).
Hosea 12:1: "Ephraim feeds on wind and pursues the east wind..." (A metaphor for a nation pursuing a futile and destructive course).
James 3:5-6: "So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things... The tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness." (Eliphaz sees Job's words as destructive).
Proverbs 15:2: "The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly." (Eliphaz accuses Job of being the latter).

Cross references

Jer 22:22 (east wind's destruction), Eph 4:29 (unwholesome talk), Col 4:6 (speech with grace).

Job 15:4-6

“But you are doing away with the fear of God and hindering meditation before God. For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty. Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; your own lips testify against you.”

In-depth-analysis

The accusation intensifies from foolishness to impiety.
Doing away with the fear of God: This is a devastating charge. "Fear of God" (yirʾâ) is the foundation of wisdom (Prov 1:7). Eliphaz claims Job's arguments undermine the very basis of a righteous life.
Hindering meditation: Job’s complaints, Eliphaz argues, disrupt proper reverence and communication with God.
Iniquity teaches your mouth: A reversal of righteous logic. Instead of a pure heart producing wise words, Eliphaz claims Job's hidden sin is formulating his defense.
Tongue of the crafty: The word for "crafty" (ʿārûm) is the same word used for the serpent in Genesis 3:1. This is a subtle but venomous comparison.
Your own mouth condemns you: Eliphaz sidesteps responsibility, claiming he is merely an observer. He insists Job’s own words are the primary evidence against him, a classic tactic in debate.

Bible references

Proverbs 1:7: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge..." (Job is accused of abandoning this principle).
Matthew 12:34: "...For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." (Eliphaz uses this principle to accuse Job of having a wicked heart).
Psalm 36:1: "Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes." (A description Eliphaz applies to Job).

Cross references

Psa 5:9 (mouths full of destruction), Prov 10:19 (sin in many words), Rom 3:18 (no fear of God), Jas 1:26 (religion is worthless if tongue is untamed).

Job 15:7-10

“Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought forth before the hills? Have you listened in the council of God? 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-headed and the aged are among us, older than your father.”

In-depth-analysis

Eliphaz uses a series of rhetorical questions to mock Job's perceived arrogance.
First man who was born?: This is sarcasm, comparing Job to a primeval, angelic, or proto-human figure who would possess unique, primordial wisdom. This might be a polemic against ancient myths of a first man who had special knowledge.
Council of God: The sôḏ ʾelôah. This refers to the divine assembly where God makes decisions (cf. 1 Kgs 22:19-22, Jer 23:18). Eliphaz asks sarcastically, "Were you there? Did you get secret information directly from God?"
He contrasts Job's supposed exclusive wisdom with the collective, traditional wisdom of the elders ("gray-headed and aged"), which Eliphaz and his friends represent. In their culture, age was synonymous with wisdom and authority.

Bible references

Proverbs 8:22-25: "The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work... Before the hills, I was brought forth." (Personified Wisdom speaks, and Eliphaz sarcastically asks if Job is this figure).
1 Corinthians 2:16: "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" (Eliphaz uses this idea to rebuke Job; Paul uses it to elevate the believer in Christ).
Jeremiah 23:18: "For who has stood in the council of the LORD to see and to hear his word...?" (Jeremiah uses this to expose false prophets; Eliphaz uses it to mock Job).

Cross references

Job 32:7 (age should speak), Prov 3:19 (wisdom in creation), Isa 40:13-14 (who was God's counselor), Rom 11:34 (who knows God's mind).

Job 15:11-13

“Are the consolations of God too small for you, or the word that deals gently with you? Why does your heart carry you away, and why do your eyes flash, that you turn your spirit against God, and bring such words out of your mouth?”

In-depth-analysis

Eliphaz portrays his own prior words (in chapters 4-5) as "consolations of God," completely misreading the situation. He sees his generic, theological platitudes as gentle divine comfort that Job is arrogantly rejecting.
Heart carry you away: Job is being ruled by emotion, not reason or faith.
Eyes flash: This depicts anger and rebellion. Eliphaz is twisting Job's signs of anguish into signs of defiance against God.
Turn your spirit (rûaḥ) against God: This is the ultimate accusation. Job's spirit/breath/attitude is now positioned in direct opposition to God Himself. Eliphaz has moved from accusing Job of foolish words to outright blasphemy.

Bible references

2 Corinthians 1:3-4: "Blessed be the God... of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction..." (Highlights the nature of true divine consolation, which Eliphaz's words are not).
Numbers 16:3, 11: "...why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD? ...it is against the LORD that you have gathered together." (The rebellion of Korah, mirroring how Eliphaz sees Job's protest).
Ephesians 4:30-31: "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God... Let all bitterness and wrath and anger... be put away from you." (A NT admonition against the kind of spirit Eliphaz accuses Job of having).

Cross references

Job 4:5-6 (Eliphaz's previous "consolation"), Prov 16:32 (controlling one's spirit), Mk 3:29 (blasphemy against the Holy Spirit).

Job 15:14-16

“What is man, that he can be pure, or he who is born of a woman, that he can be righteous? Behold, God puts no trust in his holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in his sight; how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!”

In-depth-analysis

Eliphaz returns to his theme from chapter 4, but with harsher language.
Born of a woman: This common Hebrew idiom emphasizes human frailty, mortality, and inherited sinfulness.
God puts no trust in his holy ones: "Holy ones" (qəḏōšîm) refers to angels. If even the angels are not perfectly trustworthy in God's eyes, how can a human be? This is a theological argument from the greater to the lesser.
Abominable and corrupt: These are new, intensely negative descriptions applied to humanity in general, but aimed at Job. The word "corrupt" (niʿֲlāh) suggests something that has soured or gone bad.
Drinks iniquity like water: This powerful metaphor suggests that for sinful man, committing evil is as natural, easy, and thirst-quenching as drinking water. It implies a deep-seated depravity and love for sin.

Bible references

Job 4:17-19: "‘Can mortal man be in the right before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker? Even in his servants he puts no trust..." (Eliphaz repeats his earlier argument almost verbatim).
Psalm 51:5: "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." (David's confession of innate sinfulness).
Romans 3:10, 23: "as it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one' ... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Paul affirms this universal sinfulness, but as a prelude to grace, not condemnation).

Cross references

1 Kgs 8:46 (there is no one who does not sin), Psa 14:3 (all have turned aside), Psa 53:3, Eccl 7:20, Pro 20:9.

Job 15:17-19

“I will show you, listen to me; and what I have seen I will declare, what wise men have told, and their fathers have not hidden, a land that was given to them alone, and no stranger passed among them.”

In-depth-analysis

Eliphaz prefaces his final major point by appealing to two sources of authority: personal experience ("what I have seen") and ancient, pure tradition ("what wise men have told").
He claims his wisdom is from a pristine, unadulterated source—from the "fathers" who received the land when "no stranger passed among them." This is an appeal to a golden age of pure, orthodox belief, untainted by foreign ideas.
He positions himself as the reliable teacher and Job as the ignorant student who needs to listen.

Bible references

Deuteronomy 32:7: "Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask your father, and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you." (This reflects the cultural value Eliphaz is appealing to).
Psalm 78:3-4: "...things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children..." (The importance of passing down tradition).

Cross references

Job 8:8 (Bildad's similar appeal to tradition), Joel 1:3 (Tell your children of it).

Job 15:20-35

“The wicked man writhes in pain all his days... Terror is in his ears; in prosperity the destroyer will come upon him... He will not be rich, and his wealth will not endure... He will not escape from darkness; the flame will dry up his shoots, and by the breath of his mouth he will go away... For the company of the godless is barren... They conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity, and their womb prepares deceit.”

In-depth-analysis

This entire section is a detailed, vivid description of the inevitable fate of the wicked. While phrased generically, every detail is chosen to reflect Job's situation, making it a thinly veiled attack.

Writhes in pain (v. 20): Directly reflects Job's physical torment.
Terror in his ears (v. 21): Describes Job’s psychological state of dreading further disaster.
Destroyer will come (v. 21): The "destroyer" (šōḏēḏ) comes during prosperity, just as disaster struck Job when he was wealthy.
He roams about for bread (v. 23): Eliphaz projects a future of poverty for Job, who is now destitute.
Stretches out his hand against God (v. 25): The ultimate crime, which Eliphaz accuses Job of. The wicked man is an active rebel against God.
He is covered with fat (v. 27): This implies a life of godless self-indulgence, a direct mischaracterization of Job's former prosperity which he used righteously (Job 29).
His shoots... his branch (v. 30, 32): Imagery of a tree being destroyed, mirroring the loss of Job’s children ("branches") and his hope for the future.
Company of the godless is barren (v. 34): The word for barren, galmûḏ, signifies desolation. It speaks to the finality of the wicked person's end—no legacy, no children, no future. This is a cruel jab at Job, who has lost all his children.
Conceive mischief... give birth to iniquity (v. 35): This closes the speech with a proverb-like statement, summarizing the wicked person's life as a futile cycle of sin that ultimately consumes them.

Bible references

Psalm 37:35-36: "I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree. But he passed away, and behold, he was no more..." (The theme of the wicked's temporary success and sudden end).
Proverbs 10:24: "What the wicked dreads will come upon him..." (Eliphaz applies this universal principle directly to Job's situation).
Isaiah 59:4: "...they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity." (Isaiah uses this imagery for a corrupt nation, Eliphaz personalizes it for Job).
Galatians 6:7-8: "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption..." (The sowing and reaping principle, which Eliphaz applies rigidly and mercilessly).

Cross references

Psa 7:14-16 (digs a pit and falls in), Psa 73:18-20 (slippery places to ruin), Prov 1:26-27 (calamity and terror), Prov 24:20 (no future for the evil man), Hos 8:7 (sow the wind, reap the whirlwind).

Polemics

The description of the wicked man who "stretches out his hand against God and defies the Almighty" (vv. 25-26) may be a polemic against the hubris found in Mesopotamian epics, where hero-kings often challenged the gods. Eliphaz paints Job as such a figure, a rebel titan destined for a fall. Scholars note that Eliphaz's long monologue on the fate of the wicked is a rhetorical device to "prove" his point through sheer weight of imagery. He is not engaging with Job’s specific arguments but is instead burying him under a mountain of traditional doctrine, effectively saying, "This is how the world works, and you, Job, fit the description of the wicked. Therefore, you are wicked."

Job 15 analysis

Escalation of Accusation: This chapter marks the point where the friends' rhetoric turns from misguided counsel to overt accusation. Eliphaz now believes Job is not just confused, but impious and deceitful. He interprets Job's suffering not as a mystery to be solved but as proof of sin to be condemned.
Misuse of Tradition: Eliphaz masterfully wields traditional wisdom, proverbs, and theological truths (like universal sinfulness and the reaping/sowing principle). However, he applies them like a blunt instrument without compassion, nuance, or consideration for the mystery of suffering. He represents the danger of having correct doctrine but a complete lack of wisdom in its application.
Theological Irony: Ironically, Eliphaz's description of the wicked man's inner turmoil—"Terror is in his ears," "distress and anguish terrify him" (vv. 21, 24)—is a perfect description of Job's actual experience. Job experiences the terrors of the wicked, but he is not wicked. This is the central problem the book explores, which Eliphaz is completely blind to.
The Unseen Council: Eliphaz sarcastically asks if Job was in God's council (v. 8). The reader, who has read chapters 1-2, knows that there was a council that discussed Job, but its proceedings were the opposite of what Eliphaz assumes. The discussion was about Job’s righteousness, not his wickedness. This creates profound dramatic irony. Eliphaz thinks he is defending God, but he is actually siding with the logic of the Satan (ha-śāṭān).

Job 15 summary

Eliphaz the Temanite delivers his second speech, a harsh and escalating attack on Job. He dismisses Job’s defenses as empty, arrogant, and impious wind. He sarcastically questions Job's claim to special wisdom and accuses him of rebelling against God. After restating his belief in humanity's universal depravity, Eliphaz spends the majority of the chapter painting a vivid, terrifying portrait of the guaranteed suffering, torment, and utter desolation of the wicked man, a picture clearly intended for Job to see himself in and thus confess his great, hidden sin.

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Job chapter 15 kjv

¹ Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
² Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
³ Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?
⁴ Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.
⁵ For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
⁶ Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
⁷ Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?
⁸ Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
⁹ What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?
¹⁰ With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.
¹¹ Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?
¹² Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,
¹³ That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?
¹⁴ What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
¹⁵ Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
¹⁶ How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?
¹⁷ I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;
¹⁸ Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:
¹⁹ Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.
²⁰ The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.
²¹ A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.
²² He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.
²³ He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
²⁴ Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
²⁵ For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.
²⁶ He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:
²⁷ Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.
²⁸ And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.
²⁹ He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.
³⁰ He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.
³¹ Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.
³² It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.
³³ He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.
³⁴ For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.
³⁵ They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.

Job chapter 15 nkjv

¹ Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
² "Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge, And fill himself with the east wind?
³ Should he reason with unprofitable talk, Or by speeches with which he can do no good?
⁴ Yes, you cast off fear, And restrain 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 "Are you the first man who was born? Or were you made before the hills?
⁸ Have you heard the counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
⁹ What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not in us?
¹⁰ Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, Much older than your father.
¹¹ Are the consolations of God too small for you, And the word spoken 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 could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?
¹⁵ If God puts no trust in His saints, And the heavens are not pure in His sight,
¹⁶ How much less man, who is abominable and filthy, Who drinks iniquity like water!
¹⁷ "I will tell you, hear me; What I have seen I will declare,
¹⁸ What wise men have told, Not hiding anything received from their fathers,
¹⁹ To whom alone the land was given, And no alien passed among them:
²⁰ The wicked man writhes with pain all his days, And the number of years is hidden from the oppressor.
²¹ Dreadful sounds are in his ears; In prosperity the destroyer comes upon him.
²² He does not believe that he will return from darkness, For a sword is waiting for him.
²³ He wanders about for bread, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that a day of darkness is ready at his hand.
²⁴ Trouble and anguish make him afraid; They overpower him, like a king ready for battle.
²⁵ For he stretches out his hand against God, And acts defiantly against the Almighty,
²⁶ Running stubbornly against Him With his strong, embossed shield.
²⁷ "Though he has covered his face with his fatness, And made his waist heavy with fat,
²⁸ He dwells in desolate cities, In houses which no one inhabits, Which are destined to become ruins.
²⁹ He will not be rich, Nor will his wealth continue, Nor will his possessions overspread the earth.
³⁰ He will not depart from darkness; The flame will dry out his branches, And by the breath of His mouth he will go away.
³¹ Let him not trust in futile things, deceiving himself, For futility will be his reward.
³² It will be accomplished before his time, And his branch will not be green.
³³ He will shake off his unripe grape like a vine, And cast off his blossom like an olive tree.
³⁴ For the company of hypocrites will be barren, And fire will consume the tents of bribery.
³⁵ They conceive trouble and bring forth futility; Their womb prepares deceit."

Job chapter 15 niv

¹ Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
² "Would a wise person answer with empty notions or fill their belly with the hot east wind?
³ Would they argue with useless words, with speeches that have no value?
⁴ But you even undermine piety and hinder devotion to God.
⁵ Your sin prompts your mouth; you adopt the tongue of the crafty.
⁶ Your own mouth condemns you, not mine; your own lips testify against you.
⁷ "Are you the first man ever born? Were you brought forth before the hills?
⁸ Do you listen in on God's council? Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?
⁹ What do you know that we do not know? What insights do you have that we do not have?
¹⁰ The gray-haired and the aged are on our side, men even older than your father.
¹¹ Are God's consolations not enough for you, words spoken gently to you?
¹² Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,
¹³ so that you vent your rage against God and pour out such words from your mouth?
¹⁴ "What are mortals, that they could be pure, or those born of woman, that they could be righteous?
¹⁵ If God places no trust in his holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,
¹⁶ how much less mortals, who are vile and corrupt, who drink up evil like water!
¹⁷ "Listen to me and I will explain to you; let me tell you what I have seen,
¹⁸ what the wise have declared, hiding nothing received from their ancestors
¹⁹ (to whom alone the land was given when no foreigners moved among them):
²⁰ All his days the wicked man suffers torment, the ruthless man through all the years stored up for him.
²¹ Terrifying sounds fill his ears; when all seems well, marauders attack him.
²² He despairs of escaping the realm of darkness; he is marked for the sword.
²³ He wanders about for food like a vulture; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
²⁴ Distress and anguish fill him with terror; troubles overwhelm him, like a king poised to attack,
²⁵ because he shakes his fist at God and vaunts himself against the Almighty,
²⁶ defiantly charging against him with a thick, strong shield.
²⁷ "Though his face is covered with fat and his waist bulges with flesh,
²⁸ he will inhabit ruined towns and houses where no one lives, houses crumbling to rubble.
²⁹ He will no longer be rich and his wealth will not endure, nor will his possessions spread over the land.
³⁰ He will not escape the darkness; a flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God's mouth will carry him away.
³¹ Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless, for he will get nothing in return.
³² Before his time he will wither, and his branches will not flourish.
³³ He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree shedding its blossoms.
³⁴ For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of those who love bribes.
³⁵ They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb fashions deceit."

Job chapter 15 esv

¹ Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
² "Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
³ Should he argue in unprofitable talk, or in words with which he can do no good?
⁴ But you are doing away with the fear of God and hindering meditation 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; your own lips testify against you.
⁷ "Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought forth before the hills?
⁸ Have you listened in the council of God? And do you limit wisdom to yourself?
⁹ What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not clear to us?
¹⁰ Both the gray-haired and the aged are among us, older than your father.
¹¹ Are the comforts of God too small for you, or the word that deals gently with you?
¹² Why does your heart carry you away, and why do your eyes flash,
¹³ that you turn your spirit against God and bring such words out of your mouth?
¹⁴ What is man, that he can be pure? Or he who is born of a woman, that he can be righteous?
¹⁵ Behold, God puts no trust in his holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in his sight;
¹⁶ how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks injustice like water!
¹⁷ "I will show you; hear me, and what I have seen I will declare
¹⁸ (what wise men have told, without hiding it from their fathers,
¹⁹ to whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them).
²⁰ The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, through all the years that are laid up for the ruthless.
²¹ Dreadful sounds are in his ears; in prosperity the destroyer will come upon him.
²² He does not believe that he will return out of darkness, and he is marked for the sword.
²³ He wanders abroad for bread, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that a day of darkness is ready at his hand;
²⁴ distress and anguish terrify him; they prevail against him, like a king ready for battle.
²⁵ Because he has stretched out his hand against God and defies the Almighty,
²⁶ running stubbornly against him with a thickly bossed shield;
²⁷ because he has covered his face with his fat and gathered fat upon his waist
²⁸ and has lived in desolate cities, in houses that none should inhabit, which were ready to become heaps of ruins;
²⁹ he will not be rich, and his wealth will not endure, nor will his possessions spread over the earth;
³⁰ he will not depart from darkness; the flame will dry up his shoots, and by the breath of his mouth he will depart.
³¹ Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his payment.
³² It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not be green.
³³ He will shake off his unripe grape like the vine, and cast off his blossom like the olive tree.
³⁴ For the company of the godless is barren, and fire consumes the tents of bribery.
³⁵ They conceive trouble and give birth to evil, and their womb prepares deceit."

Job chapter 15 nlt

¹ Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
² "A wise man wouldn't answer with such empty talk!
You are nothing but a windbag.
³ The wise don't engage in empty chatter.
What good are such words?
⁴ Have you no fear of God,
no reverence for him?
⁵ Your sins are telling your mouth what to say.
Your words are based on clever deception.
⁶ Your own mouth condemns you, not I.
Your own lips testify against you.
⁷ "Were you the first person ever born?
Were you born before the hills were made?
⁸ Were you listening at God's secret council?
Do you have a monopoly on wisdom?
⁹ What do you know that we don't?
What do you understand that we do not?
¹⁰ On our side are aged, gray-haired men
much older than your father!
¹¹ "Is God's comfort too little for you?
Is his gentle word not enough?
¹² What has taken away your reason?
What has weakened your vision,
¹³ that you turn against God
and say all these evil things?
¹⁴ Can any mortal be pure?
Can anyone born of a woman be just?
¹⁵ Look, God does not even trust the angels.
Even the heavens are not absolutely pure in his sight.
¹⁶ How much less pure is a corrupt and sinful person
with a thirst for wickedness!
¹⁷ "If you will listen, I will show you.
I will answer you from my own experience.
¹⁸ And it is confirmed by the reports of wise men
who have heard the same thing from their fathers ?
¹⁹ from those to whom the land was given
long before any foreigners arrived.
²⁰ "The wicked writhe in pain throughout their lives.
Years of trouble are stored up for the ruthless.
²¹ The sound of terror rings in their ears,
and even on good days they fear the attack of the destroyer.
²² They dare not go out into the darkness
for fear they will be murdered.
²³ They wander around, saying, 'Where can I find bread?'
They know their day of destruction is near.
²⁴ That dark day terrifies them.
They live in distress and anguish,
like a king preparing for battle.
²⁵ For they shake their fists at God,
defying the Almighty.
²⁶ Holding their strong shields,
they defiantly charge against him.
²⁷ "These wicked people are heavy and prosperous;
their waists bulge with fat.
²⁸ But their cities will be ruined.
They will live in abandoned houses
that are ready to tumble down.
²⁹ Their riches will not last,
and their wealth will not endure.
Their possessions will no longer spread across the horizon.
³⁰ "They will not escape the darkness.
The burning sun will wither their shoots,
and the breath of God will destroy them.
³¹ Let them no longer fool themselves by trusting in empty riches,
for emptiness will be their only reward.
³² They will be cut down in the prime of life;
their branches will never again be green.
³³ They will be like a vine whose grapes are harvested too early,
like an olive tree that loses its blossoms before the fruit can form.
³⁴ For the godless are barren.
Their homes, enriched through bribery, will burn.
³⁵ They conceive trouble and give birth to evil.
Their womb produces deceit."