< Job 4 >

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: —
2 If anyone tries to speak with you, will you be impatient? But who can stop himself from speaking?
Hath one tried a word with thee? — Thou art weary! And to keep in words who is able?
3 See, you have instructed many; you have strengthened weak hands.
Lo, thou hast instructed many, And feeble hands thou makest strong.
4 Your words have supported him who was falling; you have made feeble knees firm.
The stumbling one do thy words raise up, And bowing knees thou dost strengthen.
5 But now trouble has come to you, and you are weary; it touches you, and you are troubled.
But now, it cometh in unto thee, And thou art weary; It striketh unto thee, and thou art troubled.
6 Is not your fear your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?
Is not thy reverence thy confidence? Thy hope — the perfection of thy ways?
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, being innocent, hath perished? And where have the upright been cut off?
8 According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap it.
As I have seen — ploughers of iniquity, And sowers of misery, reap it!
9 By the breath of God they perish; by the blast of his anger they are consumed.
From the breath of God they perish, And from the spirit of His anger consumed.
10 The roaring of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions—they 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 perishes for lack of victims; the cubs of the lioness are scattered everywhere.
An old lion is perishing without prey, And the whelps of the lioness do separate.
12 Now a certain matter was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a whisper about it.
And unto me a thing is secretly brought, And receive doth mine ear a little of it.
13 Then came thoughts from visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on people.
In thoughts from visions of the night, In the falling of deep sleep on men,
14 It was at night when fear and trembling came upon me, and all my bones shook.
Fear hath met me, and trembling, And the multitude of my bones caused to fear.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face, and the hair of my flesh stood up.
And a spirit before my face doth pass, Stand up doth the hair of my flesh;
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 standeth, and I discern not its aspect, A similitude [is] over-against mine eyes, Silence! and a voice I hear:
17 “Can a mortal man be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?
'Is mortal man than God more righteous? Than his Maker is a man cleaner?
18 See, if God puts no trust in his servants; if he accuses his angels of folly,
Lo, in His servants He putteth no credence, Nor in His messengers setteth praise.'
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?
Also — the inhabitants of houses of clay, (Whose foundation [is] in the dust, They bruise them before a moth.)
20 Between morning and evening they are destroyed; they perish forever without anyone noticing them.
From morning to evening are beaten down, Without any regarding, for ever they perish.
21 Are not their tent cords plucked up among them? They die; they die without wisdom.
Hath not their excellency been removed with them? They die, and not in wisdom!

< Job 4 >