Job 4

¹Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

²"If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

³Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands.

⁴Your words have supported him who was falling, You have made firm the feeble knees.

⁵But now it is come to you, and you faint. It touches you, and you are troubled.

⁶Isn't your piety your confidence? Isn't the integrity of your ways your hope?

⁷"Remember, now, whoever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?

⁸According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity, and sow trouble, reap the same.

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

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

¹¹The old lion perishes for lack of prey. The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.

¹²"Now a thing was secretly brought to me. My ear received a whisper of it.

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

¹⁴fear came on me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.

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

¹⁶It stood still, but I couldn't discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes. Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,

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

¹⁸Behold, he puts no trust in his servants. He charges his angels with error.

¹⁹How much more, those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!

²⁰Between morning and evening they are destroyed. They perish forever without any regarding it.

²¹Isn't their tent cord plucked up within them? They 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.