Job 4
1 And Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 If a word were essayed to thee, wouldest thou be grieved? But who can refrain from speaking?
“If one ventures a word with you, will you be wearied? Yet who can keep from speaking?
3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands;
Surely you have instructed many, and have strengthened their feeble hands.
4 Thy words have upholden him that was stumbling, and thou hast braced up the bending knees:
Your words have steadied those who stumbled; you have braced the knees that were buckling.
5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou grievest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
But now trouble has come upon you, and you are weary. It strikes you, and you are dismayed.
6 Hath not thy piety been thy confidence, and the perfection of thy ways thy hope?
Is your reverence not your confidence, and the uprightness of your ways your hope?
7 Remember, I pray thee, who that was innocent has perished? and where were the upright cut off?
Consider now, I plead: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Or where have the upright been destroyed?
8 Even as I have seen, they that plough iniquity and sow mischief, reap the same.
As I have observed, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same.
9 By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his nostrils are they consumed.
By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of His anger they are consumed.
10 The roar of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken;
The lion may roar, and the fierce lion may growl, yet the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness are scattered.
The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
12 Now to me a word was secretly brought, and mine ear received a whisper thereof.
Now a word came to me secretly; my ears caught a whisper of it.
13 In thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men: —
In disquieting visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
14 Fear came on me, and trembling, and made all my bones to shake;
fear and trembling came over me and made all my bones shudder.
15 And a spirit passed before my face — the hair of my flesh stood up —
Then a spirit glided past my face, and the hair on my body bristled.
16 It stood still; I could not discern the appearance thereof: a form was before mine eyes; I heard a slight murmur and a voice:
It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; a form loomed before my eyes, and I heard a whispering voice:
17 Shall [mortal] man be more just than God? Shall a man be purer than his Maker?
‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his Maker?
18 Lo, he trusteth not his servants, and his angels he chargeth with folly:
If God puts no trust in His servants, and He charges His angels with error,
19 How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed as the moth!
how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who can be crushed like a moth!
20 From morning to evening are they smitten: without any heeding it, they perish for ever.
They are smashed to pieces from dawn to dusk; unnoticed, they perish forever.
21 Is not their tent-cord torn away in them? they die, and without wisdom.
Are not their tent cords pulled up, so that they die without wisdom?’
