Job 4
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
And Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said,
2 “If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?
If one says a word, will it be a weariness to you? but who is able to keep from saying what is in his mind?
3 Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands.
Truly, you have been a helper to others, and you have made feeble hands strong;
4 Your words have supported him who was falling, you have made the feeble knees firm.
He who was near to falling has been lifted up by your words, and you have given strength to bent knees.
5 But now it has come to you, and you faint. It touches you, and you are troubled.
But now it has come on you and it is a weariness to you; you are touched by it and your mind is troubled.
6 Isn’t your piety your confidence? Isn’t the integrity of your ways your hope?
Is not your fear of God your support, and your upright way of life your hope?
7 “Remember, now, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?
Have you ever seen destruction come to an upright man? or when were the god-fearing ever cut off?
8 According to what I have seen, those who plough iniquity and sow trouble, reap the same.
What I have seen is that those by whom trouble has been ploughed, and evil planted, get the same for themselves.
9 By the breath of God they perish. By the blast of his anger are they consumed.
By the breath of God destruction takes them, and by the wind of his wrath they are cut off.
10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
Though the noise of the lion and the sounding of his voice, may be loud, the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 The old lion perishes for lack of prey. The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.
The old lion comes to his end for need of food, and the young of the she-lion go wandering in all directions.
12 “Now a thing was secretly brought to me. My ear received a whisper of it.
A word was given to me secretly, and the low sound of it came to my ears.
13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
In troubled thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep comes on men,
14 fear came on me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.
Fear came on me and shaking, and my bones were full of trouble;
15 Then a spirit passed before my face. The hair of my flesh stood up.
And a breath was moving over my face; the hair of my flesh became stiff:
16 It stood still, but I couldn’t discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes. Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,
Something was present before me, but I was not able to see it clearly; there was a form before my eyes: a quiet voice came to my ears, saying:
17 ‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
May a man be upright before God? or a man be clean before his Maker?
18 Behold, he puts no trust in his servants. He charges his angels with error.
Truly, he puts no faith in his servants, and he sees error in his angels;
19 How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!
How much more those living in houses of earth, whose bases are in the dust! They are crushed more quickly than an insect;
20 Between morning and evening they are destroyed. They perish forever without any regarding it.
Between morning and evening they are completely broken; they come to an end for ever, and no one takes note.
21 Isn’t their tent cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.’
If their tent-cord is pulled up, do they not come to an end, and without wisdom?
