Job 4
1 But Eliphaz the Themanite, answering, said:
And Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said,
2 If we start to speak to you, perhaps you will take it badly, but who can hold back the words he has conceived?
If one says a word, will it be a weariness to you? but who is able to keep from saying what is in his mind?
3 Behold, you have taught many, and you have strengthened weary hands.
Truly, you have been a helper to others, and you have made feeble hands strong;
4 Your words have reassured the wavering, and you have fortified the trembling knees.
He who was near to falling has been lifted up by your words, and you have given strength to bent knees.
5 But now the scourge has overcome you, and you falter. It has touched you, and you are disturbed.
But now it has come on you and it is a weariness to you; you are touched by it and your mind is troubled.
6 Where is your reverence, your fortitude, your patience, and the perfection of your ways?
Is not your fear of God your support, and your upright way of life your hope?
7 Consider this, I beg you: who ever perished being innocent? Or when have the righteous been destroyed?
Have you ever seen destruction come to an upright man? or when were the god-fearing ever cut off?
8 In fact, I have instead seen those who work iniquity and who sow resentments, reap them,
What I have seen is that those by whom trouble has been ploughed, and evil planted, get the same for themselves.
9 perishing by the breath of God, and being consumed by the wrath of his spirit.
By the breath of God destruction takes them, and by the wind of his wrath they are cut off.
10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of young lions have been worn away.
Though the noise of the lion and the sounding of his voice, may be loud, the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 The tiger has perished because it does not have prey, and the young lions have been scattered.
The old lion comes to his end for need of food, and the young of the she-lion go wandering in all directions.
12 Furthermore, a word was spoken to me in secret, and, as if by theft, my ears received the pulse of its whisper.
A word was given to me secretly, and the low sound of it came to my ears.
13 In the horror of a vision by night, when men are accustomed to be overtaken by a deep sleep,
In troubled thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep comes on men,
14 fear and trembling seized me and all my bones were terrified.
Fear came on me and shaking, and my bones were full of trouble;
15 And when a spirit passed before me, the hair on my body stood up.
And a breath was moving over my face; the hair of my flesh became stiff:
16 There appeared an image before my eyes, someone whose face I did not recognize, and I heard a voice like a gentle breeze.
Something was present before me, but I was not able to see it clearly; there was a form before my eyes: a quiet voice came to my ears, saying:
17 Should man be justified in relation to God, or will a man be more pure than his Maker?
May a man be upright before God? or a man be clean before his Maker?
18 Behold, those who serve him are not steadfast, and in his angels he finds imperfection.
Truly, he puts no faith in his servants, and he sees error in his angels;
19 How much more will those who live in houses of clay, which have an earthly foundation, be consumed like the moth?
How much more those living in houses of earth, whose bases are in the dust! They are crushed more quickly than an insect;
20 From morning all the way to evening, they will be cut down, and because no one understands, they will be destroyed without ceasing.
Between morning and evening they are completely broken; they come to an end for ever, and no one takes note.
21 But those who are left behind will be taken away from them; they will die, and not in wisdom.
If their tent-cord is pulled up, do they not come to an end, and without wisdom?
