Job 4

1 And Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

Then Eliphaz the Themanite answered, and said:

2 If a word were essayed to thee, wouldest thou be grieved? But who can refrain from speaking?

If we begin to speak to thee, perhaps thou wilt take it ill, but who can withhold the words he hath conceived?

3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands;

Behold thou hast taught many, and thou hast strengthened the weary hands:

4 Thy words have upholden him that was stumbling, and thou hast braced up the bending knees:

Thy words have confirmed them that were staggering, and thou hast strengthened the trembling knees:

5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou grievest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

But now the scourge is come upon thee, and thou faintest: it hath touched thee, and thou art troubled.

6 Hath not thy piety been thy confidence, and the perfection of thy ways thy hope?

Where is thy fear, thy fortitude, thy patience, and the perfection of thy ways?

7 Remember, I pray thee, who that was innocent has perished? and where were the upright cut off?

Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished being innocent? or when were the just destroyed?

8 Even as I have seen, they that plough iniquity and sow mischief, reap the same.

On the contrary I have seen those who work iniquity, and sow sorrows, and reap them,

9 By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his nostrils are they consumed.

Perishing by the blast of God, and consumed by the spirit of his wrath.

10 The roar of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken;

The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of the whelps of lions are broken:

11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness are scattered.

The tiger hath perished for want of prey, and the young lions are scattered abroad.

12 Now to me a word was secretly brought, and mine ear received a whisper thereof.

Now there was a word spoken to me in private, and my ears by stealth as it were received the veins of its whisper.

13 In thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men: —

In the horror of a vision by night, when deep sleep is wont to hold men,

14 Fear came on me, and trembling, and made all my bones to shake;

Fear seized upon me, and trembling, and all my bones were affrighted:

15 And a spirit passed before my face — the hair of my flesh stood up —

And when a spirit passed before me, the hair of my flesh stood up.

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:

There stood one whose countenance I knew not, an image before my eyes, and I heard the voice as it were of a gentle wind:

17 Shall [mortal] man be more just than God? Shall a man be purer than his Maker?

Shall man be justified in comparison of God, or shall a man be more pure than his maker?

18 Lo, he trusteth not his servants, and his angels he chargeth with folly:

Behold they that serve him are not steadfast, and in his angels he found wickedness:

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 shall they that dwell in houses of clay, who have an earthly foundation, be consumed as with the moth?

20 From morning to evening are they smitten: without any heeding it, they perish for ever.

From morning till evening they shall be cut down: and because no one understandeth, they shall perish for ever.

21 Is not their tent-cord torn away in them? they die, and without wisdom.

And they that shall be left, shall be taken away from them: they shall die, and not in wisdom.