Job 4

¹Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

²If one assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

³Behold, thou hast instructed many, And thou hast strengthened the weak hands.

⁴Thy words have upholden him that was falling, And thou hast made firm the feeble knees.

⁵But now it is come unto thee, and thou faintest; It toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

⁶Is not thy fear of God thy confidence, Andthe integrity of thy ways thy hope?

⁷Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?

⁸According as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, And sow trouble, reap the same.

⁹By the breath of God they perish, And by the blast of his anger are they consumed.

¹⁰The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

¹¹The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.

¹²Now a thing was secretly brought to me, And mine ear received a whisper thereof.

¹³In thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth on men,

¹⁴Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones to shake.

¹⁵Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair of my flesh stood up.

¹⁶It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof; A form was before mine eyes: There wassilence, and I heard a voice, saying,

¹⁷Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

¹⁸Behold, he putteth no trust in his servants; And his angels he chargeth with folly:

¹⁹How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before the moth!

²⁰Betwixt morning and evening they are destroyed: They perish for ever without any regarding it.

²¹Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.

¹And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith:

²Hath one tried a word with thee? Thou art weary! And to keep in words who is able?

³Lo, thou hast instructed many, And feeble hands thou makest strong.

⁴The stumbling one do thy words raise up, And bowing knees thou dost strengthen.

⁵But now, it cometh in unto thee, And thou art weary; It striketh unto thee, and thou art troubled.

⁶Is not thy reverence thy confidence? Thy hopethe perfection of thy ways?

⁷Remember, I pray thee, Who, being innocent, hath perished? And where have the upright been cut off?

⁸As I have seenploughers of iniquity, And sowers of misery, reap it!

⁹From the breath of God they perish, And from the spirit of His anger consumed.

¹⁰The roaring of a lion, And the voice of a fierce lion, And teeth of young lions have been broken.

¹¹An old lion is perishing without prey, And the whelps of the lioness do separate.

¹²And unto me a thing is secretly brought, And receive doth mine ear a little of it.

¹³In thoughts from visions of the night, In the falling of deep sleep on men,

¹⁴Fear hath met me, and trembling, And the multitude of my bones caused to fear.

¹⁵And a spirit before my face doth pass, Stand up doth the hair of my flesh;

¹⁶It standeth, and I discern not its aspect, A similitude is over-against mine eyes, Silence! and a voice I hear:

¹⁷`Is mortal man than God more righteous? Than his Maker is a man cleaner?

¹⁸Lo, in His servants He putteth no credence, Nor in His messengers setteth praise.'

¹⁹Alsothe inhabitants of houses of clay, (Whose foundation is in the dust, They bruise them before a moth.)

²⁰From morning to evening are beaten down, Without any regarding, for ever they perish.

²¹Hath not their excellency been removed with them? They die, and not in wisdom!