Job 4
1 And Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
And Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said,
2 If a word were essayed to thee, wouldest thou be grieved? But who can refrain from speaking?
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, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands;
Truly, you have been a helper to others, and you have made feeble hands strong;
4 Thy words have upholden him that was stumbling, and thou hast braced up the bending 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 it is come upon thee, and thou grievest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
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 Hath not thy piety been thy confidence, and the perfection of thy ways thy hope?
Is not your fear of God your support, and your upright way of life your hope?
7 Remember, I pray thee, who that was innocent has perished? and where were the upright cut off?
Have you ever seen destruction come to an upright man? or when were the god-fearing ever cut off?
8 Even as I have seen, they that plough iniquity and sow mischief, reap the same.
What I have seen is that those by whom trouble has been ploughed, and evil planted, get the same for themselves.
9 By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his nostrils are they consumed.
By the breath of God destruction takes them, and by the wind of his wrath they are cut off.
10 The roar of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken;
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 old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness are 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 Now to me a word was secretly brought, and mine ear received a whisper thereof.
A word was given to me secretly, and the low sound of it came to my ears.
13 In thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men: —
In troubled thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep comes on men,
14 Fear came on me, and trembling, and made all my bones to shake;
Fear came on me and shaking, and my bones were full of trouble;
15 And a spirit passed before my face — the hair of my flesh stood up —
And a breath was moving over my face; the hair of my flesh became stiff:
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:
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 Shall [mortal] man be more just than God? Shall a man be purer than his Maker?
May a man be upright before God? or a man be clean before his Maker?
18 Lo, he trusteth not his servants, and his angels he chargeth with folly:
Truly, he puts no faith in his servants, and he sees error in his angels;
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 living in houses of earth, whose bases are in the dust! They are crushed more quickly than an insect;
20 From morning to evening are they smitten: without any heeding it, they perish for ever.
Between morning and evening they are completely broken; they come to an end for ever, and no one takes note.
21 Is not their tent-cord torn away in them? they die, and without wisdom.
If their tent-cord is pulled up, do they not come to an end, and without wisdom?
