以利法的責難

提幔人以利法回答說:
「若有人向你進言,
你會厭煩嗎?
可是,誰能忍住不說呢?
你曾教導許多人,
使無力的手強壯。
你的話使人免於跌倒,
你使顫抖的膝硬朗。
但現在苦難一來,
你便灰心喪膽;
災禍來臨,
你便驚慌失措。
你敬畏上帝還沒有信心嗎?
你行為純全還沒有盼望嗎?
你想一想,
哪有無辜的人滅亡?
哪有正直的人遭殃?
據我所見,
播惡收惡,
種禍得禍。
他們被上帝的氣息所毀,
被上帝的怒氣所滅。
10 獅子咆哮,猛獅吼叫,
壯獅的牙齒被敲掉。
11 雄獅因無食而死,
母獅的幼崽離散。

12 「有信息暗暗地傳給我,
一聲低語傳入我耳中。
13 夜間人們沉睡的時候,
在攪擾思緒的異象中,
14 恐懼襲來,
令我戰慄不已,
全身發抖。
15 有靈從我臉上拂過,
使我毛骨悚然。
16 那靈停住,
我無法辨認其模樣。
眼前出現一個形狀,
寂靜中聽見有聲音說,
17 『在上帝面前,世人豈算得上公義?
在創造主面前,凡人豈算得上純潔?
18 連上帝的僕人都無法令祂信任,
連祂的天使都被祂找出過錯,
19 更何況源自塵土、
住在土造的軀殼裡、
脆弱如蛾的世人呢?
20 早晚之間,他們便被毀滅,
永遠消逝,無人察覺。
21 他們帳篷的繩索被拔起,
他們毫無智慧地死去。』

Standing with Job and his other two friends in the trash heap, Eliphaz the Temanite tried to convince Job his suffering was temporary.

Eliphaz: Could you bear it if someone were to speak?
        Ah, but who can hold his tongue in such a situation?
    Look back, and think on the many you have taught;
        you have strengthened the weak hands of the suffering.
    Your words propped up the tottering;
        you have strengthened mourners’ wobbly knees.
    May my words help you in that way, now that trouble arrives and you despair.
        It extends its hand, crushes you, and you are overwhelmed.
    Isn’t your fear of God true confidence
        and your unswerving commitment genuine hope?

    Take pause; scan your memory:
        Who ever died among the innocent?
    And when have the righteous ever met with destruction?
    The way I see it, those who pull the pernicious plow,
    Who sow sorrow’s seeds, reap the same at harvest.
    By God’s breath, they meet destruction;
        when His anger explodes, they meet their end.
10     O the bluster of humanity!
        The lion roars! The king of beasts thunders!
    Still the young lions’ teeth are shattered.
11     The old lion dies for lack of prey,
        and the whole pride is scattered.

12     Now, listen: a secret word was delivered to me;
        my ears caught hold of a whisper.
13     In the anxiety of a nightmare—
        while deep sleep falls on humans—
14     Fear took me by my right arm, terror by my left,
        and they shook me, they did!—made my bones rattle.
15     Then a wind blew through, a divine breath skimming my face.
        Every hair on my body stood on end.
16     It came to a stop, but I couldn’t make it out—
        some form there before me, then a hushed voice breaking the silence:
17     “Can a mortal stand innocent before God?
        Can a man or even a hero be pure before his Creator?”
18     If God is unsure of His own servants,
        and in His holy attendants He finds fault,
19     How much more those whose bodies come from clay,
        whose skeletons are dust, are crushed like a moth.
20     From morning to evening, their bodies are broken to pieces,
        ground back into dirt, unseen, gone forever.
21     When the cords of their tents are pulled up,
        don’t they die, none the wiser?

Eliphaz

Then Eliphaz the Temanite(A) replied:

“If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?
    But who can keep from speaking?(B)
Think how you have instructed many,(C)
    how you have strengthened feeble hands.(D)
Your words have supported those who stumbled;(E)
    you have strengthened faltering knees.(F)
But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged;(G)
    it strikes(H) you, and you are dismayed.(I)
Should not your piety be your confidence(J)
    and your blameless(K) ways your hope?

“Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?(L)
    Where were the upright ever destroyed?(M)
As I have observed,(N) those who plow evil(O)
    and those who sow trouble reap it.(P)
At the breath of God(Q) they perish;
    at the blast of his anger they are no more.(R)
10 The lions may roar(S) and growl,
    yet the teeth of the great lions(T) are broken.(U)
11 The lion perishes for lack of prey,(V)
    and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.(W)

12 “A word(X) was secretly brought to me,
    my ears caught a whisper(Y) of it.(Z)
13 Amid disquieting dreams in the night,
    when deep sleep falls on people,(AA)
14 fear and trembling(AB) seized me
    and made all my bones shake.(AC)
15 A spirit glided past my face,
    and the hair on my body stood on end.(AD)
16 It stopped,
    but I could not tell what it was.
A form stood before my eyes,
    and I heard a hushed voice:(AE)
17 ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God?(AF)
    Can even a strong man be more pure than his Maker?(AG)
18 If God places no trust in his servants,(AH)
    if he charges his angels with error,(AI)
19 how much more those who live in houses of clay,(AJ)
    whose foundations(AK) are in the dust,(AL)
    who are crushed(AM) more readily than a moth!(AN)
20 Between dawn and dusk they are broken to pieces;
    unnoticed, they perish forever.(AO)
21 Are not the cords of their tent pulled up,(AP)
    so that they die(AQ) without wisdom?’(AR)