Job 4

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.

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!