“He flies away like a dream, and they cannot find him; Even like a vision of the night he is chased away.
“The eye which saw him sees him no longer, And his place no longer beholds him.
“His sons favor the poor, And his hands give back his wealth.
“His bones are full of his youthful vigor, But it lies down with him in the dust.
Yet his food in his stomach is changed To the venom of cobras within him.
“He sucks the poison of cobras; The viper’s tongue slays him.
“He does not look at the streams, The rivers flowing with honey and curds.
“He returns what he has attained And cannot swallow it; As to the riches of his trading, He cannot even enjoy them.
“For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; He has seized a house which he has not built.
“In the fullness of his plenty he will be cramped; The hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.
“He may flee from the iron weapon, But the bronze bow will pierce him.
“It is drawn forth and comes out of his back, Even the glittering point from his gall. Terrors come upon him,
Complete darkness is held in reserve for his treasures, And unfanned fire will devour him; It will consume the survivor in his tent.
“The heavens will reveal his iniquity, And the earth will rise up against him.
“The increase of his house will depart; His possessions will flow away in the day of His anger.
“This is the wicked man’s portion from God, Even the heritage decreed to him by God.”
“Why do the wicked still live, Continue on, also become very powerful?
Their houses are safe from fear, And the rod of God is not on them.
“They send forth their little ones like the flock, And their children skip about.
“They sing to the timbrel and harp And rejoice at the sound of the flute.
“They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.
‘Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, And what would we gain if we entreat Him?’
“Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
“How often is the lamp of the wicked put out, Or does their calamity fall on them? Does God apportion destruction in His anger?
“Are they as straw before the wind, And like chaff which the storm carries away?
“Let his own eyes see his decay, And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
“For what does he care for his household after him, When the number of his months is cut off?
His sides are filled out with fat, And the marrow of his bones is moist,
“Together they lie down in the dust, And worms cover them.
“Behold, I know your thoughts, And the plans by which you would wrong me.
“For you say, ‘Where is the house of the nobleman, And where is the tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?’
“For the wicked is reserved for the day of calamity; They will be led forth at the day of fury.
“While he is carried to the grave, Men will keep watch over his tomb.
“The clods of the valley will gently cover him; Moreover, all men will follow after him, While countless ones go before him.
Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,
“Is there any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous, Or profit if you make your ways perfect?
“To the weary you have given no water to drink, And from the hungry you have withheld bread.
“But the earth belongs to the mighty man, And the honorable man dwells in it.
“You have sent widows away empty, And the strength of the orphans has been crushed.
“Is not God in the height of heaven? Look also at the distant stars, how high they are!
“You say, ‘What does God know? Can He judge through the thick darkness?
‘Clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see; And He walks on the vault of heaven.’
“Will you keep to the ancient path Which wicked men have trod,
“They said to God, ‘Depart from us!’ And ‘What can the Almighty do to them?’
“Yet He filled their houses with good things; But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
“The righteous see and are glad, And the innocent mock them,
Saying, ‘Truly our adversaries are cut off, And their abundance the fire has consumed.’
“If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored; If you remove unrighteousness far from your tent,
And place your gold in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,
Then the Almighty will be your gold And choice silver to you.
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995
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