Job 4
1 But Eliphaz the Themanite, answering, said:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered 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 anyone tries to speak with you, will you be impatient? But who can stop himself from speaking?
3 Behold, you have taught many, and you have strengthened weary hands.
See, you have instructed many; you have strengthened weak hands.
4 Your words have reassured the wavering, and you have fortified the trembling knees.
Your words have supported him who was falling; you have made feeble knees firm.
5 But now the scourge has overcome you, and you falter. It has touched you, and you are disturbed.
But now trouble has come to you, and you are weary; it touches you, and you are troubled.
6 Where is your reverence, your fortitude, your patience, and the perfection of your ways?
Is not your fear your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?
7 Consider this, I beg you: who ever perished being innocent? Or when have the righteous been destroyed?
Think about this, please: Who has ever perished when innocent? Or when were the upright people ever 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, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap it.
9 perishing by the breath of God, and being consumed by the wrath of his spirit.
By the breath of God they perish; by the blast of his anger 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, the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions—they are broken.
11 The tiger has perished because it does not have prey, and the young lions have been scattered.
The old lion perishes for lack of victims; the cubs of the lioness are scattered everywhere.
12 Furthermore, a word was spoken to me in secret, and, as if by theft, my ears received the pulse of its whisper.
Now a certain matter was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a whisper about it.
13 In the horror of a vision by night, when men are accustomed to be overtaken by a deep sleep,
Then came thoughts from visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on people.
14 fear and trembling seized me and all my bones were terrified.
It was at night when fear and trembling came upon me, and all my bones shook.
15 And when a spirit passed before me, the hair on my body stood up.
Then a spirit passed before my face, and the hair of my flesh stood up.
16 There appeared an image before my eyes, someone whose face I did not recognize, and I heard a voice like a gentle breeze.
The spirit stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, and I heard a voice that said,
17 Should man be justified in relation to God, or will a man be more pure than his Maker?
“Can a mortal man be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?
18 Behold, those who serve him are not steadfast, and in his angels he finds imperfection.
See, if God puts no trust in his servants; if he accuses his angels of folly,
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 is this true of those who live in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed sooner than a moth?
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 destroyed; they perish forever without anyone noticing them.
21 But those who are left behind will be taken away from them; they will die, and not in wisdom.
Are not their tent cords plucked up among them? They die; they die without wisdom.
