Job 4

1 Then responded Eliphaz the Temanite, and said: —

Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

2 If one attempt a word unto thee, wilt thou be impatient? But, to restrain speech, who, can endure?

If one assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?

3 Lo! thou hast admonished many, and, slack hands, hast thou been wont to uphold:

Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.

4 Him that was stumbling, have thy words raised up, and, sinking knees, hast thou strengthened.

Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast confirmed the feeble knees.

5 But, now, it cometh upon thee, and thou despairest, It smiteth even thee, and thou art dismayed.

But now it is come unto thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

6 Is not, thy reverence, thy confidence? And is not, thy hope, the very integrity of thy ways?

Is not thy fear [of God] thy confidence, [and] thy hope the integrity of thy ways?

7 Remember, I pray thee, who, being innocent, hath perished, or when, the upright, have been cut off.

Remember, I pray thee, who [ever] perished, being innocent? or where were the upright cut off?

8 So far as I have seen, They who plow for iniquity and sow misery, reap the same:

According as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow trouble, reap the same.

9 By the blast of GOD, they perish, And, by the breath of his nostrils, are they consumed:

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

10 [Notwithstanding] the roaring of the lion, and the noise of the howling lion, yet, the teeth of the fierce 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 strong lion perishing for lack of prey, Even the whelps of the lioness, are scattered.

The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.

12 But, unto me, something was brought by stealth, —and mine ear caught a whispering of the same:

Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a whisper thereof.

13 When there were thoughts, from visions of the night, —When deep sleep falleth upon men,

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

14 Dread, came upon me, and trembling, The multitude of my bones, it put in dread:

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

15 Then, a spirit, over my face, floated along, The hair of my flesh bristled-up:

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

16 It stood still, but I could not distinguish its appearance, I looked, but there was no form before mine eyes, —A whispering voice, I heard: —

It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof; a form was before mine eyes: [there was] silence, and I heard a voice, [saying],

17 Shall, mortal man, be more just than GOD? Or 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 Lo! in his own servants, he trusteth not, and, his own messengers, he chargeth with error:

Behold, he putteth no trust in his servants; and his angels he chargeth with folly:

19 How much more the dwellers in houses of clay, which, in the dust, have their foundation, which are crushed sooner than a moth:

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

20 Betwixt morning and evening, are they broken in pieces, With none to save, they utterly perish:

Betwixt morning and evening they are destroyed: they perish for ever without any regarding it.

21 Is not their tent-rope within them, torn away? They die, disrobed of wisdom!

Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? they die, and that without wisdom.