Job 4

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

Then spake Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:

2 If we assay to commune with you, will you be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?

If one attempt a word with thee, wilt thou be offended? But who can refrain from speaking?

3 Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands.

Behold, thou hast admonished many; Thou hast strengthened feeble hands;

4 Your words have upheld him that was falling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees.

Thy words have upheld him that was falling, And thou hast given strength to feeble knees.

5 But now it is come on you, and you faint; it touches you, and you are troubled.

But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; It toucheth thee, and thou art confounded!

6 Is not this your fear, your confidence, your hope, and the uprightness of your ways?

Is not thy fear of God thy hope, And the uprightness of thy ways thy confidence?

7 Remember, I pray you, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?

Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished being innocent? Or where have the righteous been cut off?

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

According to what I have seen, they who plough iniquity, And sow mischief, reap the same.

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

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

10 The roaring 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 fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions are broken.

11 The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the stout lion’s whelps are scattered abroad.

The fierce lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.

12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a little thereof.

A word was once secretly brought to me, And mine ear caught a whisper thereof.

13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,

Amid thoughts from visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth upon men,

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

A fear and a horror came upon me, Which made all my bones to shake.

15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:

Then a spirit passed before my face, The hair of my flesh rose on end;

16 It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before my eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,

It stood still, but its form I could not discern; An image was before mine eyes; There was silence, and I heard a voice:

17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

“Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall man be more pure than his Maker?

18 Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:

Behold, he putteth no trust in his ministering spirits, And his angels he chargeth with frailty.

19 How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?

What then are they who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who crumble to pieces, as if moth-eaten!

20 They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.

Between morning and evening are they destroyed; They perish for ever, and none regardeth it.

21 Does not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.

The excellency that is in them is torn away; They die before they have become wise.”