17 “Can a mortal be righteous before God?
Can a man be more pure than his Maker?” (A)
18 If God puts no trust in his servants
and he charges his angels with foolishness,[a](B)
19 how much more those who dwell in clay houses,(C)
whose foundation is in the dust,
who are crushed like a moth!
20 They are smashed to pieces from dawn to dusk;
they perish forever while no one notices.(D)
21 Are their tent cords not pulled up?
They die without wisdom.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 4:18 Or error; Hb obscure

17 ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God?(A)
    Can even a strong man be more pure than his Maker?(B)
18 If God places no trust in his servants,(C)
    if he charges his angels with error,(D)
19 how much more those who live in houses of clay,(E)
    whose foundations(F) are in the dust,(G)
    who are crushed(H) more readily than a moth!(I)
20 Between dawn and dusk they are broken to pieces;
    unnoticed, they perish forever.(J)
21 Are not the cords of their tent pulled up,(K)
    so that they die(L) without wisdom?’(M)

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