Job 4
English Standard Version
Eliphaz Speaks: The Innocent Prosper
4 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 “If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?
Yet who can keep from speaking?
3 Behold, you have instructed many,
and you have (A)strengthened the weak hands.
4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
and you have (B)made firm the feeble knees.
5 But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
it touches you, and you are dismayed.
6 (C)Is not your fear of God[a] your (D)confidence,
and the integrity of your ways your hope?
7 “Remember: (E)who that was innocent ever perished?
Or where were the upright cut off?
8 As I have seen, those who (F)plow iniquity
and sow trouble reap the same.
9 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?’
Job 4
International Standard Version
Eliphaz: the Innocent Don’t Suffer
4 In reply, Eliphaz from Teman answered:
2 “Will you get offended if somebody tries to talk to you?
Who can keep from speaking at a time like this?[a]
3 Look! You’ve admonished many people,[b]
and you’ve strengthened feeble hands.
4 A word from you has supported those who have stumbled,
and has strengthened faltering knees.
5 “But now it’s your turn,
and you’re the one who is worn out![c]
Now it’s striking you,
and you’re dismayed!
6 “Your fear of God has been your confidence, hasn’t it?
The integrity of your life has been your hope, hasn’t it?
7 Now please think:
Who has ever perished when they’re innocent?
Where have the upright been destroyed?
8 It’s been my experience that those who plow the soil of[d] iniquity
and those who sow the seed of[e] trouble will reap their harvest![f]
9 They perish by the breath of God;
they are consumed by the storm that is[g] his anger.[h]
10 “The lioness may roar,
and the lion cub may growl;
but even the ivory teeth of the full grown lion are broken.
11 Full grown lions die when they cannot find prey;
that’s when the lion cubs are scattered.
12 “A message was confided[i] to me;
my ear caught a whisper of it.
13 Disquieting thoughts from dreams at night;
when deep sleep falls on everyone.[j]
14 A fear fell upon me, along with trembling
that caused all my bones to shake in terror.[k]
15 A spirit glided past me
and made the hair on my skin[l] to bristle.
16 It remained standing,
but I couldn’t recognize its appearance.
A form appeared before my eyes;
At first there was[m] silence, and then this voice:
17 ‘Can a mortal person[n] be more righteous than God?
Or can the purity of the valiant exceed that of his maker?’[o]
18 “Indeed, since he doesn’t trust his servants,[p]
since he charges[q] his angels with error,
19 how much less confidence[r] does he have
in those who dwell in houses of clay;
who were formed from a foundation in dust
and can perish[s] like a moth?
20 They are defeated between morning and evening;
they perish forever—and no one notices!
21 Their wealth[t] perishes with them, doesn’t it?
They die, and do so without having wisdom, don’t they?”
Footnotes
- Job 4:2 The Heb. lacks at a time like this
- Job 4:3 The Heb. lacks people
- Job 4:5 Or impatient
- Job 4:8 The Heb. lacks the soil of
- Job 4:8 The Heb. lacks the seed of
- Job 4:8 The Heb. lacks their harvest
- Job 4:9 Or the breath of
- Job 4:9 Or anger
- Job 4:12 Or was delivered in secret
- Job 4:13 Lit. men
- Job 4:14 Or dread
- Job 4:15 Lit. flesh
- Job 4:16 The Heb. lacks At first there was
- Job 4:17 Lit. a man
- Job 4:17 The quotation possibly continues through v 21.
- Job 4:18 Cf. Job 15:15
- Job 4:18 Or lay upon
- Job 4:19 The Heb. lacks confidence
- Job 4:19 Lit. can crush them
- Job 4:21 Or remnants, left over
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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