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Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

“If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved?
    But who can withhold himself from speaking?
Behold, you have instructed many,
    you have strengthened the weak hands.
Your words have supported him who was falling,
    You have made the feeble knees firm.
But now it has come to you, and you faint.
    It touches you, and you are troubled.
Isn’t your piety your confidence?
    Isn’t the integrity of your ways your hope?

“Remember, now, whoever perished, being innocent?
    Or where were the upright cut off?
According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity,
    and sow trouble,
    reap the same.
By the breath of God they perish.
    By the blast of his anger are they consumed.
10 The roaring of the lion,
    and the voice of the fierce lion,
    the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
11 The old lion perishes for lack of prey.
    The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.

12 “Now a thing was secretly brought to me.
    My ear received a whisper of it.
13 In thoughts from the visions of the night,
    when deep sleep falls on men,
14 fear came on me, and trembling,
    which made all my bones shake.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face.
    The hair of my flesh stood up.
16 It stood still, but I couldn’t discern its appearance.
    A form was before my eyes.
    Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,
17 ‘Shall mortal man be more just than God?
    Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
18 Behold, he puts no trust in his servants.
    He charges his angels with error.
19 How much more, those who dwell in houses of clay,
    whose foundation is in the dust,
    who are crushed before the moth!
20 Between morning and evening they are destroyed.
    They perish forever without any regarding it.
21 Isn’t their tent cord plucked up within them?
    They die, and that without wisdom.’

Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

If one assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved?
But who can withhold himself from speaking?
Behold, thou hast instructed many,
And thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
Thy words have upholden him that was falling,
And thou hast made firm the [a]feeble knees.
But now it is come unto thee, and thou [b]faintest;
It toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
Is not thy fear of God thy confidence,
And the integrity of thy ways thy hope?
Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent?
Or where were the upright cut off?
According as I have seen, they that plow iniquity,
And sow [c]trouble, reap the same.
By the breath of God they perish,
And by the blast of his anger are they consumed.
10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion,
And the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey,
And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.

12 Now a thing was [d]secretly brought to me,
And mine ear received a whisper thereof.
13 In thoughts from the visions of the night,
When deep sleep falleth on men,
14 Fear came upon me, and trembling,
Which made all my bones to shake.
15 Then [e]a spirit passed before my face;
The hair of my flesh stood up.
16 It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof;
A form was before mine eyes:
[f]There was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,
17 Shall mortal man [g]be more just than God?
Shall a man [h]be more pure than his Maker?
18 Behold, he putteth no trust in his servants;
And his angels he chargeth with folly:
19 How much more them that dwell in houses of clay,
Whose foundation is in the dust,
Who are crushed [i]before the moth!
20 [j]Betwixt morning and evening they are [k]destroyed:
They perish for ever without any regarding it.
21 [l]Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them?
They die, and that without wisdom.

Footnotes

  1. Job 4:4 Hebrew bowing
  2. Job 4:5 Or, art grieved
  3. Job 4:8 Or, mischief
  4. Job 4:12 Hebrew brought by stealth
  5. Job 4:15 Or, a breath passed over
  6. Job 4:16 Or, I heard a still voice
  7. Job 4:17 Or, be just before God
  8. Job 4:17 Or, be pure before his Maker
  9. Job 4:19 Or, like
  10. Job 4:20 Or, From morning to evening
  11. Job 4:20 Hebrew broken in pieces.
  12. Job 4:21 Or, Is not their excellency which is in them removed?

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)