Job 4

1 Then Eliphaz the Themanite answered, and said:

And Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

16 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:

It stood still; I could not discern the appearance thereof: a form was before mine eyes; I heard a slight murmur and a voice:

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

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

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

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

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

How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed as the moth!

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

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

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

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