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III. Second Cycle of Speeches

Chapter 15

Second Speech of Eliphaz. [a]Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

Does a wise man answer with windy opinions,
    or puff himself up with the east wind?
Does he argue in speech that does not avail,
    and in words that are to no profit?

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Footnotes

  1. 15:1 The tone of Eliphaz’s speech is now much rougher. In vv. 7–9 he ridicules Job’s knowledge with a sarcastic question about whether he was a member of the divine council before creation and thus had unique wisdom (according to Prv 8:22–31, only Woman Wisdom existed before creation). Verses 20–35 are a typical description of the fate of the wicked.

Eliphaz

15 Then Eliphaz the Temanite(A) replied:

“Would a wise person answer with empty notions
    or fill their belly with the hot east wind?(B)
Would they argue with useless words,
    with speeches that have no value?(C)

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