Job 4
1 Then answered Eliphaz the Themanite, and said,
And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: —
2 If we essay to address a word to thee, wilt thou be wearied? yet who is able to refrain from speaking?
Hath one tried a word with thee? — Thou art weary! And to keep in words who is able?
3 Behold, thou hast [ere this] corrected many, and weak hands thou wast wont to strengthen.
Lo, thou hast instructed many, And feeble hands thou makest strong.
4 Him that stumbled thy words used to uphold, and to sinking knees thou gavest vigor.
The stumbling one do thy words raise up, And bowing knees thou dost strengthen.
5 Yet now, when it cometh to thee, thou art wearied: it toucheth even thee, and thou art terrified.
But now, it cometh in unto thee, And thou art weary; It striketh unto thee, and thou art troubled.
6 Is not then thy fear of God still thy confidence, thy hope equal to the integrity of thy ways?
Is not thy reverence thy confidence? Thy hope — the perfection of thy ways?
7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous destroyed?
Remember, I pray thee, Who, being innocent, hath perished? And where have the upright been cut off?
8 Even as I have seen, that those who plough wrong-doing, and sow trouble, have to reap the same.
As I have seen — ploughers of iniquity, And sowers of misery, reap it!
9 Before the breathing of God they perish, and before the breath of his nostrils they come to their end.
From the breath of God they perish, And from the spirit of His anger 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 a lion, And the voice of a fierce lion, And teeth of young lions have been broken.
11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness have to scatter themselves abroad.
An old lion is perishing without prey, And the whelps of the lioness do separate.
12 But to me a word came by stealth, and my ear took in a scarcely perceptible whisper thereof.
And unto me a thing is secretly brought, And receive doth mine ear a little of it.
13 In intense thoughts out of visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men:
In thoughts from visions of the night, In the falling of deep sleep on men,
14 Dread came over me, with trembling, and it caused all my bones to shudder.
Fear hath met me, and trembling, And the multitude of my bones caused to fear.
15 Then flitted a spirit past before my face; the hair of my body stood up:
And a spirit before my face doth pass, Stand up doth the hair of my flesh;
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 standeth, and I discern not its aspect, A similitude [is] over-against mine eyes, Silence! and a voice I hear:
17 Can a mortal be more righteous than God? or can a man be more pure than his Maker?
'Is mortal man than God more righteous? Than his Maker is a man cleaner?
18 Behold, in his servants he putteth no trust, and his angels he chargeth with folly:
Lo, in His servants He putteth no credence, Nor in His messengers setteth praise.'
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?
Also — the inhabitants of houses of clay, (Whose foundation [is] in the dust, They bruise them before a moth.)
20 From morning to evening are they broken to pieces: without laying it [to heart] they perish for ever.
From morning to evening are beaten down, Without any regarding, for ever they perish.
21 Behold, their excellency which is in them is torn away: they die, and this without wisdom.
Hath not their excellency been removed with them? They die, and not in wisdom!
