< Job 4 >
1 And Eliphaz the Temanite answers and says:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 “Has one tried a word with you? You are weary! And who is able to keep in words?
If we assay to commune with you, will you be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?
3 Behold, you have instructed many, And feeble hands you make strong.
Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands.
4 Your words raise up the stumbling one, And you strengthen bowing knees.
Your words have upheld him that was falling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees.
5 But now, it comes to you, And you are weary; It strikes to you, and you are troubled.
But now it is come on you, and you faint; it touches you, and you are troubled.
6 Is your reverence not your confidence? Your hope—the perfection of your ways?
Is not this your fear, your confidence, your hope, and the uprightness of your ways?
7 Now remember, Who, being innocent, has perished? And where have the upright been cut off?
Remember, I pray you, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?
8 As I have seen—plowers of iniquity, And sowers of misery, reap it!
Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.
9 From the breath of God they perish, And from the spirit of His anger [are] consumed.
By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.
10 The roaring of a lion, And the voice of a fierce lion, And teeth of young lions have been broken.
The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
11 An old lion is perishing without prey, And the whelps of the lioness separate.
The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the stout lion’s whelps are scattered abroad.
12 And a thing is secretly brought to me, And my ear receives a little of it.
Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a little thereof.
13 In thoughts from visions of the night, In the falling of deep sleep on men,
In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
14 Fear has met me, and trembling, And the multitude of my bones caused to fear.
Fear came on me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.
15 And a spirit passes before my face, The hair of my flesh stands up;
Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:
16 It stands, and I do not discern its aspect, A likeness [is] before my eyes, Silence! And I hear a voice:
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,
17 Is mortal man more righteous than God? Is a man cleaner than his Maker?
Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
18 Behold, He puts no credence in His servants, Nor sets praise in His messengers.
Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:
19 Also—the inhabitants of houses of clay (Whose foundation [is] in the dust, They bruise them before a moth).
How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?
20 From morning to evening are beaten down, Without any regarding, they perish forever.
They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.
21 Has their excellence not been removed with them? They die, and not in wisdom!”
Does not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.