Job 4

¹But Eliphaz the Themanite, answering, said:

²If we start to speak to you, perhaps you will take it badly, but who can hold back the words he has conceived?

³Behold, you have taught many, and you have strengthened weary hands.

⁴Your words have reassured the wavering, and you have fortified the trembling knees.

⁵But now the scourge has overcome you, and you falter. It has touched you, and you are disturbed.

⁶Where is your reverence, your fortitude, your patience, and the perfection of your ways?

⁷Consider this, I beg you: who ever perished being innocent? Or when have the righteous been destroyed?

⁸In fact, I have instead seen those who work iniquity and who sow resentments, reap them,

⁹perishing by the breath of God, and being consumed by the wrath of his spirit.

¹⁰The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of young lions have been worn away.

¹¹The tiger has perished because it does not have prey, and the young lions have been scattered.

¹²Furthermore, a word was spoken to me in secret, and, as if by theft, my ears received the pulse of its whisper.

¹³In the horror of a vision by night, when men are accustomed to be overtaken by a deep sleep,

¹⁴fear and trembling seized me and all my bones were terrified.

¹⁵And when a spirit passed before me, the hair on my body stood up.

¹⁶There appeared an image before my eyes, someone whose face I did not recognize, and I heard a voice like a gentle breeze.

¹⁷Should man be justified in relation to God, or will a man be more pure than his Maker?

¹⁸Behold, those who serve him are not steadfast, and in his angels he finds imperfection.

¹⁹How much more will those who live in houses of clay, which have an earthly foundation, be consumed like the moth?

²⁰From morning all the way to evening, they will be cut down, and because no one understands, they will be destroyed without ceasing.

²¹But those who are left behind will be taken away from them; they will die, and not in wisdom.

¹Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

²If we 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 strengthened the feeble knees.

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

⁶Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?

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

⁸Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

⁹By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils 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 stout lion’s whelps are scattered abroad.

¹²Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little 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 form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, 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 put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:

¹⁹How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?

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

²¹Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.