Job 4
1 And Eliphaz the Temanite answers and says:
Then spake Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
2 “Has one tried a word with you? You are weary! And who is able to keep in words?
If one attempt a word with thee, wilt thou be offended? But who can refrain from speaking?
3 Behold, you have instructed many, And feeble hands you make strong.
Behold, thou hast admonished many; Thou hast strengthened feeble hands;
4 Your words raise up the stumbling one, And you strengthen bowing knees.
Thy words have upheld him that was falling, And thou hast given strength to 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 upon thee, and thou faintest; It toucheth thee, and thou art confounded!
6 Is your reverence not your confidence? Your hope—the perfection of your ways?
Is not thy fear of God thy hope, And the uprightness of thy ways thy confidence?
7 Now remember, Who, being innocent, has perished? And where have the upright been cut off?
Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished being innocent? Or where have the righteous been cut off?
8 As I have seen—plowers of iniquity, And sowers of misery, reap it!
According to what I have seen, they who plough iniquity, And sow mischief, 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 they are 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 fierce lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.
12 And a thing is secretly brought to me, And my ear receives a little of it.
A word was once secretly brought to me, And mine ear caught a whisper thereof.
13 In thoughts from visions of the night, In the falling of deep sleep on men,
Amid thoughts from visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth upon men,
14 Fear has met me, and trembling, And the multitude of my bones caused to fear.
A fear and a horror came upon me, 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 rose on end;
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 its form I could not discern; An image was before mine eyes; There was silence, and I heard a voice:
17 Is mortal man more righteous than God? Is a man cleaner than his Maker?
“Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall man be more pure than his Maker?
18 Behold, He puts no credence in His servants, Nor sets praise in His messengers.
Behold, he putteth no trust in his ministering spirits, And his angels he chargeth with frailty.
19 Also—the inhabitants of houses of clay (Whose foundation [is] in the dust, They bruise them before a 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 From morning to evening are beaten down, Without any regarding, they perish forever.
Between morning and evening are they destroyed; They perish for ever, and none regardeth it.
21 Has their excellence not been removed with them? They die, and not in wisdom!”
The excellency that is in them is torn away; They die before they have become wise.”
