Job 4
Legacy Standard Bible
Eliphaz Says the Innocent Do Not Suffer
4 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 “If one tries a word with you, will you become weary?
But (A)who can hold back [a]from speaking?
3 Behold, (B)you have disciplined many,
And you have strengthened limp hands.
4 Your words have [b]helped the stumbling to stand,
And you have encouraged [c]feeble knees.
5 But now it has come to you, and you (C)are impatient;
It (D)touches you, and you are dismayed.
6 Is not your [d](E)fear of God (F)your confidence,
And the integrity of your ways your hope?
7 “Remember now, (G)who ever perished being innocent?
Or where were the upright wiped out?
8 According to what I have seen, (H)those who plow wickedness
And those who sow trouble harvest it.
9 By (I)the breath of God they perish,
And (J)by the wind of His anger they come to an end.
10 The (K)roaring of the lion and the voice of the fierce lion,
And the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 The (L)lion perishes for lack of prey,
And the (M)whelps of the lioness are scattered.
12 “Now a word (N)was brought to me stealthily,
And my ear received a (O)whisper of it.
13 Amid disquieting (P)thoughts from the visions of the night,
When deep sleep falls on men,
14 Dread came upon me, and trembling,
And made the multitude of my bones shake in dread.
15 Then a [e]spirit swept by my face;
The hair of my flesh bristled up.
16 It stood still, but I could not recognize its appearance;
A form was before my eyes;
There was silence, then I heard a voice:
17 ‘Can (Q)mankind be right [f]before God?
Can a man be pure [g]before his (R)Maker?
18 (S)He puts no trust even in His slaves;
And against His angels He charges error.
19 How much more those who dwell in (T)houses of clay,
Whose (U)foundation is in the dust,
Who are crushed before the moth!
20 (V)Between morning and evening they are broken in pieces;
[h]Unobserved, they (W)perish forever.
21 Is not their (X)tent-cord pulled up within them?
They die, yet (Y)without wisdom.’
Job 4
Common English Bible
Eliphaz tries to comfort Job
4 Then Eliphaz, a native of Teman, responded:
2 If one tries to answer you, will you be annoyed?
But who can hold words back?
3 Look, you’ve instructed many
and given strength to drooping hands.
4 Your words have raised up the falling;
you’ve steadied failing knees.
5 But now it comes to you, and you are dismayed;
it has struck you, and you are frightened.
6 Isn’t your religion the source of[a] your confidence;
the integrity of your conduct, the source of your hope?
Sinners don’t live long
7 Think! What innocent person has ever perished?
When have those who do the right thing been destroyed?
8 As I’ve observed, those who plow sin
and sow trouble will harvest it.
9 When God breathes deeply, they perish;
by a breath of his nostril they are annihilated.
10 The roar of a lion and snarl of the king of beasts—
yet the teeth of lions are shattered;
11 the lion perishes without prey,
and its cubs are scattered.
A frightening dream
12 But a word sneaked up on me;
my ears caught a hint of it.
13 In profound thoughts, visions of night,
when deep sleep falls on people,
14 fear and dread struck me;
all of my bones shook.
15 A breeze swept by my face;
the hair of my skin bristled.
16 It stopped. I didn’t recognize its visible form,
although a figure was in front of my eyes.
Silence! Then I heard a voice:
17 “Can a human be more righteous than God,
a person purer than their maker?”
Its interpretation
18 If he doesn’t trust his servants
and levels a charge against his messengers,
19 how much less those who dwell in houses of clay,
whose foundations are in dust,
and who are crushed like a moth?
20 They are smashed between morning and evening;
they perish forever without anyone knowing.
21 Isn’t their tent cord pulled up?
They die without wisdom.[b]
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