Job 4

¹Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, and sayde,

²If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieued? but who can withholde himselfe from speaking?

³Behold, thou hast taught many, and hast strengthened the wearie hands.

⁴Thy wordes haue confirmed him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the weake knees.

⁵But now it is come vpon thee, and thou art grieued: it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

⁶Is not this thy feare, thy confidence, thy pacience, and the vprightnesse of thy wayes?

⁷Remember, I pray thee: who euer perished, being an innocent? or where were the vpright destroyed?

⁸As I haue seene, they that plow iniquitie, and sowe wickednesse, reape the same.

⁹With the blast of God they perish, and with the breath of his nostrels are they cosumed.

¹⁰The roaring of the Lion, and the voyce of the Lionesse, and the teeth of the Lions whelpes are broken.

¹¹The Lyon perisheth for lacke of pray, and the Lyons whelpes are scattered abroade.

¹²But a thing was brought to me secretly, and mine eare hath receiued a litle thereof.

¹³In the thoughtes of ye visions of the night, when sleepe falleth on men,

¹⁴Feare came vpon me, and dread which made all my bones to tremble.

¹⁵And the wind passed before me, and made the heares of my flesh to stande vp.

¹⁶Then stoode one, and I knewe not his face: an image was before mine eyes, and in silence heard I a voyce, saying,

¹⁷Shall man be more iust then God? or shall a man be more pure then his maker?

¹⁸Beholde, he founde no stedfastnesse in his Seruants, and laid follie vpon his Angels.

¹⁹Howe much more in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which shalbe destroyed before the moth?

²⁰They be destroyed from the morning vnto the euening: they perish for euer, without regarde.

²¹Doeth not their dignitie goe away with them? do they not die, and that without 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.