Job 4
1 Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2 If we essay to address a word to thee, wilt thou be wearied? yet who is able to refrain from speaking?
“If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?
3 Behold, thou hast [ere this] corrected many, and weak hands thou wast wont to strengthen.
Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands.
4 Him that stumbled thy words used to uphold, and to sinking knees thou gavest vigor.
Your words have supported him who was falling, you have made the feeble knees firm.
5 Yet now, when it cometh to thee, thou art wearied: it toucheth even thee, and thou art terrified.
But now it has come to you, and you faint. It touches you, and you are troubled.
6 Is not then thy fear of God still thy confidence, thy hope equal to the integrity of thy ways?
Isn’t your piety your confidence? Isn’t the integrity of your ways your hope?
7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous destroyed?
“Remember, now, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?
8 Even as I have seen, that those who plough wrong-doing, and sow trouble, have to reap the same.
According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble, reap the same.
9 Before the breathing of God they perish, and before the breath of his nostrils they come to their end.
By the breath of God they perish. By the blast of his anger are they 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, the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness have to scatter themselves abroad.
The old lion perishes for lack of prey. The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.
12 But to me a word came by stealth, and my ear took in a scarcely perceptible whisper thereof.
“Now a thing was secretly brought to me. My ear received a whisper of it.
13 In intense thoughts out of visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men:
In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
14 Dread came over me, with trembling, and it caused all my bones to shudder.
fear came on me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.
15 Then flitted a spirit past before my face; the hair of my body stood up:
Then a spirit passed before my face. The hair of my flesh stood up.
16 It stood still, but I could not recognize its form; a figure was before my eyes, a slight whisper, then a [louder] voice I heard, saying,
It stood still, but I couldn’t discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes. Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,
17 Can a mortal be more righteous than God? or can a man be more pure than his Maker?
‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
18 Behold, in his servants he putteth no trust, and his angels he chargeth with folly:
Behold, he puts no trust in his servants. He charges his angels with error.
19 How much less in those that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed till they come to be eaten by the moth?
How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!
20 From morning to evening are they broken to pieces: without laying it [to heart] they perish for ever.
Between morning and evening they are destroyed. They perish forever without any regarding it.
21 Behold, their excellency which is in them is torn away: they die, and this without wisdom.
Isn’t their tent cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.’
