Job 15:31

Let him not trust in what is worthless, ¹  deceiving himself; for worthlessness will be his reward. ² 

Let him not deceive himself by trusting what is worthless, for he will get nothing in return.

"Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself; For emptiness will be his reward.

Let them no longer trust in empty riches. They are only fooling themselves, for emptiness will be their only reward.

There's a lesson here: Whoever invests in lies, gets lies for interest,

Let him not put his hope in what is false, falling into error: for he will get deceit as his reward.

Let them not trust in emptiness, deceiving themselves; for emptiness will be their recompense.

Let him not trust in futile things , deceiving himself, For futility will be his reward.

Let him not trust in what is worthless, ¹  deceiving himself; for worthlessness will be his reward. ² 

¹ tn The word, although difficult in its form, is “vanity,” i.e., that which is worthless. E. Dhorme (Job, 224) thinks that the form שָׁוְא (shav’) conceals the word שִׁיאוֹ (shi’o, “his stature”). But Dhorme reworks most of the verse. He changes נִתְעָה (nit’ah, “deceived”) to נֵדַע (neda’, “we know”) to arrive at “we know that it is vanity.” The last two words of the verse are then moved to the next. The LXX has “let him not think that he shall endure, for his end shall be vanity.”

² tn This word is found in Job 20:18 with the sense of “trading.” It can mean the exchange of goods or the profit from them. Some commentators change תְמוּרָתוֹ (tÿmurato, “his reward”) because they wish to put it with the next verse as the LXX seems to have done (although the LXX does not represent this). Suggestions include תִּמֹרָתוֹ (timorato, “his palm tree”) and זְמֹרָתוֹ (zÿmorato, “his vine shoot”). A number of writers simply delete all of v. 31. H. H. Rowley (Job [NCBC], 115) suggests the best reading (assuming one were going to make changes) would be, “Let him not trust in his stature, deceiving himself, for it is vanity.” And then put “his palm tree” with the next verse, he thinks that achieves the proper balance.