15:1   Empty words, Job! Empty words!

15:2   (SEE 15:1)

15:3   No one who is wise would talk the way you do or defend himself with such meaningless words.

15:4   If you had your way, no one would fear God; no one would pray to him.

15:5   Your wickedness is evident by what you say; you are trying to hide behind clever words.

15:6   There is no need for me to condemn you; you are condemned by every word you speak.

15:7   Do you think you were the first person born? Were you there when God made the mountains?

15:8   Did you overhear the plans God made? Does human wisdom belong to you alone?

15:9   There is nothing you know that we don't know.

15:10   We learned our wisdom from gray-haired people--- those born before your father.

15:11   God offers you comfort; why still reject it? We have spoken for him with calm, even words.

15:12   But you are excited and glare at us in anger.

15:13   You are angry with God and denounce him.

15:14   Can any human being be really pure? Can anyone be right with God?

15:15   Why, God does not trust even his angels; even they are not pure in his sight.

15:16   And we drink evil as if it were water; yes, we are corrupt; we are worthless.

15:17   Now listen, Job, to what I know.

15:18   Those who are wise have taught me truths which they learned from their ancestors, and they kept no secrets hidden.

15:19   Their land was free from foreigners; there was no one to lead them away from God.

15:20   The wicked who oppress others will be in torment as long as they live.

15:21   Voices of terror will scream in their ears, and robbers attack when they think they are safe.

15:22   They have no hope of escaping from darkness, for somewhere a sword is waiting to kill them,

15:23   and vultures are waiting to eat their corpses. They know their future is dark;

15:24   disaster, like a powerful king, is waiting to attack them.

15:25   That is the fate of those who shake their fists at God and defy the Almighty.

15:26   They are proud and rebellious; they stubbornly hold up their shields and rush to fight against God.

15:27   (SEE 15:26)

15:28   They are the ones who captured cities and seized houses whose owners had fled, but war will destroy those cities and houses.

15:29   They will not remain rich for long; nothing they own will last. Even their shadows will vanish,

15:30   and they will not escape from darkness. They will be like trees whose branches are burned by fire, whose blossoms are blown away by the wind.

15:31   If they are foolish enough to trust in evil, then evil will be their reward.

15:32   Before their time is up they will wither, wither like a branch and never be green again.

15:33   They will be like vines that lose their unripe grapes; like olive trees that drop their blossoms.

15:34   There will be no descendants for godless people, and fire will destroy the homes built by bribery.

15:35   These are the ones who plan trouble and do evil; their hearts are always full of deceit.