Job 4
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
And Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 If anyone tries to speak with you, will you be impatient? But who can stop himself from speaking?
If a word were essayed to thee, wouldest thou be grieved? But who can refrain from speaking?
3 See, you have instructed many; you have strengthened weak hands.
Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands;
4 Your words have supported him who was falling; you have made feeble knees firm.
Thy words have upholden him that was stumbling, and thou hast braced up the bending knees:
5 But now trouble has come to you, and you are weary; it touches you, and you are troubled.
But now it is come upon thee, and thou grievest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
6 Is not your fear your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?
Hath not thy piety been thy confidence, and the perfection of thy ways thy hope?
7 Think about this, please: Who has ever perished when innocent? Or when were the upright people ever cut off?
Remember, I pray thee, who that was innocent has perished? and where were the upright cut off?
8 According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap it.
Even as I have seen, they that plough iniquity and sow mischief, reap the same.
9 By the breath of God they perish; by the blast of his anger they are consumed.
By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his nostrils are they consumed.
10 The roaring of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions—they are broken.
The roar of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken;
11 The old lion perishes for lack of victims; the cubs of the lioness are scattered everywhere.
The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness are scattered.
12 Now a certain matter was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a whisper about it.
Now to me a word was secretly brought, and mine ear received a whisper thereof.
13 Then came thoughts from visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on people.
In thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men: —
14 It was at night when fear and trembling came upon me, and all my bones shook.
Fear came on me, and trembling, and made all my bones to shake;
15 Then a spirit passed before my face, and the hair of my flesh stood up.
And a spirit passed before my face — the hair of my flesh stood up —
16 The spirit stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, and I heard a voice that said,
It stood still; I could not discern the appearance thereof: a form was before mine eyes; I heard a slight murmur and a voice:
17 “Can a mortal man be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?
Shall [mortal] man be more just than God? Shall a man be purer than his Maker?
18 See, if God puts no trust in his servants; if he accuses his angels of folly,
Lo, he trusteth not his servants, and his angels he chargeth with folly:
19 how much more is this true of those who live in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed sooner than a moth?
How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed as the moth!
20 Between morning and evening they are destroyed; they perish forever without anyone noticing them.
From morning to evening are they smitten: without any heeding it, they perish for ever.
21 Are not their tent cords plucked up among them? They die; they die without wisdom.
Is not their tent-cord torn away in them? they die, and without wisdom.
