Eliphaz Speaks: The Innocent Prosper

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

“If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?
    Yet who can keep from speaking?
Behold, you have instructed many,
    and you have (A)strengthened the weak hands.
Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
    and you have (B)made firm the feeble knees.
But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
    it touches you, and you are dismayed.
(C)Is not your fear of God[a] your (D)confidence,
    and the integrity of your ways your hope?

“Remember: (E)who that was innocent ever perished?
    Or where were the upright cut off?
As I have seen, those who (F)plow iniquity
    and sow trouble reap the same.
By (G)the breath of God they perish,
    and by (H)the blast of his anger they are consumed.
10 The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion,
    (I)the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 The strong lion perishes for lack of prey,
    and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

12 “Now a word was brought to me stealthily;
    my ear received (J)the whisper of it.
13 Amid (K)thoughts from (L)visions of the night,
    when (M)deep sleep falls on men,
14 dread came upon me, and trembling,
    which made all my bones shake.
15 A spirit glided past my face;
    the hair of my flesh stood up.
16 It stood still,
    but I could not discern its appearance.
(N)A form was before my eyes;
    there was silence, then I heard (O)a voice:
17 (P)‘Can mortal man be in the right before[b] God?
    Can a man be pure before his Maker?
18 Even in his servants (Q)he puts no trust,
    and his angels he charges with error;
19 how much more those who dwell in houses of (R)clay,
    whose foundation is in (S)the dust,
    who are crushed like[c] (T)the moth.
20 Between (U)morning and evening they are beaten to pieces;
    they perish forever (V)without anyone regarding it.
21 Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them,
    (W)do they not die, and that without wisdom?’

“Call now; is there anyone who will answer you?
    To which of (X)the holy ones will you turn?
Surely vexation kills the fool,
    and jealousy slays the simple.
(Y)I have seen the fool taking root,
    but suddenly I cursed his dwelling.
His children are (Z)far from safety;
    they are crushed in (AA)the gate,
    and there is no one to deliver them.
The hungry eat his harvest,
    and he takes it even out of thorns,[d]
    and the thirsty pant[e] after his[f] wealth.
For affliction does not come from the dust,
    nor does trouble sprout from the ground,
but man is (AB)born to trouble
    as the sparks fly upward.

“As for me, I would seek God,
    and to God would I commit my cause,
who (AC)does great things and (AD)unsearchable,
    (AE)marvelous things without number:
10 he gives (AF)rain on the earth
    and sends waters on the fields;
11 he (AG)sets on high those who are lowly,
    and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 He (AH)frustrates the devices of the crafty,
    so that their hands achieve no success.
13 He (AI)catches the wise in their own craftiness,
    and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.
14 They meet with darkness in the daytime
    and (AJ)grope at noonday as in the night.
15 But he (AK)saves the needy from the sword of their mouth
    and from the hand of the mighty.
16 So the poor have hope,
    and (AL)injustice shuts her mouth.

17 “Behold, (AM)blessed is the one whom God reproves;
    therefore (AN)despise not the discipline of the (AO)Almighty.
18 For he wounds, but he (AP)binds up;
    he (AQ)shatters, but his hands heal.
19 He will (AR)deliver you from six troubles;
    in seven no (AS)evil[g] shall touch you.
20 (AT)In famine he will redeem you from death,
    and in war from the power of the sword.
21 You shall be (AU)hidden from the lash of the tongue,
    and shall not fear destruction when it comes.
22 At destruction and famine you shall laugh,
    and shall not fear (AV)the beasts of the earth.
23 For you shall be in league with the stones of the field,
    and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.
24 You shall know that your (AW)tent is at peace,
    and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.
25 You shall know also that your (AX)offspring shall be many,
    and your descendants as (AY)the grass of the earth.
26 You shall come to your grave in (AZ)ripe old age,
    like a sheaf gathered up in its season.
27 Behold, this we have (BA)searched out; it is true.
    Hear, and know it for your good.”[h]

Footnotes

  1. Job 4:6 Hebrew lacks of God
  2. Job 4:17 Or more than; twice in this verse
  3. Job 4:19 Or before
  4. Job 5:5 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  5. Job 5:5 Aquila, Symmachus, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew could be read as and the snare pants
  6. Job 5:5 Hebrew their
  7. Job 5:19 Or disaster
  8. Job 5:27 Hebrew for yourself

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)

“Call if you will, but who will answer you?(AS)
    To which of the holy ones(AT) will you turn?
Resentment(AU) kills a fool,
    and envy slays the simple.(AV)
I myself have seen(AW) a fool taking root,(AX)
    but suddenly(AY) his house was cursed.(AZ)
His children(BA) are far from safety,(BB)
    crushed in court(BC) without a defender.(BD)
The hungry consume his harvest,(BE)
    taking it even from among thorns,
    and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
For hardship does not spring from the soil,
    nor does trouble sprout from the ground.(BF)
Yet man is born to trouble(BG)
    as surely as sparks fly upward.

“But if I were you, I would appeal to God;
    I would lay my cause before him.(BH)
He performs wonders(BI) that cannot be fathomed,(BJ)
    miracles that cannot be counted.(BK)
10 He provides rain for the earth;(BL)
    he sends water on the countryside.(BM)
11 The lowly he sets on high,(BN)
    and those who mourn(BO) are lifted(BP) to safety.
12 He thwarts the plans(BQ) of the crafty,
    so that their hands achieve no success.(BR)
13 He catches the wise(BS) in their craftiness,(BT)
    and the schemes of the wily are swept away.(BU)
14 Darkness(BV) comes upon them in the daytime;
    at noon they grope as in the night.(BW)
15 He saves the needy(BX) from the sword in their mouth;
    he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.(BY)
16 So the poor(BZ) have hope,
    and injustice shuts its mouth.(CA)

17 “Blessed is the one whom God corrects;(CB)
    so do not despise the discipline(CC) of the Almighty.[a](CD)
18 For he wounds, but he also binds up;(CE)
    he injures, but his hands also heal.(CF)
19 From six calamities he will rescue(CG) you;
    in seven no harm will touch you.(CH)
20 In famine(CI) he will deliver you from death,
    and in battle from the stroke of the sword.(CJ)
21 You will be protected from the lash of the tongue,(CK)
    and need not fear(CL) when destruction comes.(CM)
22 You will laugh(CN) at destruction and famine,(CO)
    and need not fear the wild animals.(CP)
23 For you will have a covenant(CQ) with the stones(CR) of the field,
    and the wild animals will be at peace with you.(CS)
24 You will know that your tent is secure;(CT)
    you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.(CU)
25 You will know that your children will be many,(CV)
    and your descendants like the grass of the earth.(CW)
26 You will come to the grave in full vigor,(CX)
    like sheaves gathered in season.(CY)

27 “We have examined this, and it is true.
    So hear it(CZ) and apply it to yourself.”(DA)

Footnotes

  1. Job 5:17 Hebrew Shaddai; here and throughout Job