Job 4
1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 If one venture a word unto thee, wilt thou be weary? But who can withhold himself 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 falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble 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 art weary; it toucheth thee, and thou art affrighted.
But now trouble has come upon you, and you are weary. It strikes you, and you are dismayed.
6 Is not thy fear of God thy confidence, and thy hope the integrity of thy ways?
Is your reverence not your confidence, and the uprightness of your ways your hope?
7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?
Consider now, I plead: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Or where have the upright been destroyed?
8 According as I have seen, they that plow 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 anger are they consumed.
By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of His anger they are consumed.
10 The lion roareth, and the fierce lion howleth — yet 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 abroad.
The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
12 Now a word was secretly brought to me, 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 the 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 upon me, and trembling, and all my bones were made to shake.
fear and trembling came over me and made all my bones shudder.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face, that made the hair of my flesh to stand up.
Then a spirit glided past my face, and the hair on my body bristled.
16 It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof; a form was before mine eyes; I heard a still 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 just before God? Shall a man be pure before his Maker?
‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his Maker?
18 Behold, He putteth no trust in 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 before 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 Betwixt morning and evening they are shattered; they perish for ever without any regarding it.
They are smashed to pieces from dawn to dusk; unnoticed, they perish forever.
21 Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.'
Are not their tent cords pulled up, so that they die without wisdom?’
