< Job 4 >

1 But Eliphaz the Themanite, answering, said:
Then spake Eliphaz the Temanite, 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 attempt a word with thee, wilt thou be offended? But who can refrain from speaking?
3 Behold, you have taught many, and you have strengthened weary hands.
Behold, thou hast admonished many; Thou hast strengthened feeble hands;
4 Your words have reassured the wavering, and you have fortified the trembling knees.
Thy words have upheld him that was falling, And thou hast given strength to feeble knees.
5 But now the scourge has overcome you, and you falter. It has touched you, and you are disturbed.
But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; It toucheth thee, and thou art confounded!
6 Where is your reverence, your fortitude, your patience, and the perfection of your ways?
Is not thy fear of God thy hope, And the uprightness of thy ways thy confidence?
7 Consider this, I beg you: who ever perished being innocent? Or when have the righteous been destroyed?
Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished being innocent? Or where have the righteous been cut off?
8 In fact, I have instead seen those who work iniquity and who sow resentments, reap them,
According to what I have seen, they who plough iniquity, And sow mischief, reap the same.
9 perishing by the breath of God, and being consumed by the wrath of his spirit.
By the blast of God they perish, And by the breath of his nostrils they are consumed.
10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of young lions have been worn away.
The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, And 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 fierce lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.
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 once secretly brought to me, And mine ear caught a whisper thereof.
13 In the horror of a vision by night, when men are accustomed to be overtaken by a deep sleep,
Amid thoughts from visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth upon men,
14 fear and trembling seized me and all my bones were terrified.
A fear and a horror came upon me, Which made all my bones to shake.
15 And when a spirit passed before me, the hair on my body stood up.
Then a spirit passed before my face, The hair of my flesh rose on end;
16 There appeared an image before my eyes, someone whose face I did not recognize, and I heard a voice like a gentle breeze.
It stood still, but its form I could not discern; An image was before mine eyes; There was silence, and I heard a voice:
17 Should man be justified in relation to God, or will a man be more pure than his Maker?
“Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall man be more pure than his Maker?
18 Behold, those who serve him are not steadfast, and in his angels he finds imperfection.
Behold, he putteth no trust in his ministering spirits, And his angels he chargeth with frailty.
19 How much more will those who live in houses of clay, which have an earthly foundation, be consumed like the moth?
What then are they who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who crumble to pieces, as if moth-eaten!
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 are they destroyed; They perish for ever, and none regardeth it.
21 But those who are left behind will be taken away from them; they will die, and not in wisdom.
The excellency that is in them is torn away; They die before they have become wise.”

< Job 4 >