Job 4
Complete Jewish Bible
4 Then Elifaz the Teimani spoke up:
2 “If one tries to speak to you, will you mind?
Yet who could keep from speaking?
3 You have given moral instruction to many,
you have firmed up feeble hands,
4 your words have supported those who were stumbling,
and you have strengthened the weak-kneed.
5 “But now it comes to you, and you are impatient;
at the first touch, you are in shock.
6 Isn’t your fear of God your assurance,
and the integrity of your ways your hope?
7 “Think back: what innocent person has perished?
Since when are the upright destroyed?
8 What I see is that those who plow sin
and sow trouble reap just that.
9 At a breath from God, they perish;
at a blast from his anger, they are consumed.
10 The lion may growl, the king lion may roar,
but that old lion’s teeth are broken;
11 so the lion succumbs from lack of prey,
and the lion’s cubs are scattered.
12 “For a word was stealthily brought to me,
my ear caught only a whisper of it.
13 In passing thoughts flashing through visions at night,
when sleep lies heavy on people,
14 a shiver of horror came over me;
it made all my bones tremble.
15 Then a spirit passed in front of my face;
the hair of my flesh stood on end.
16 It stood still,
but I couldn’t make out its appearance;
yet the form stayed there before my eyes.
Then I heard a subdued voice:
17 ‘Can a human be seen by God as righteous?
Can a mortal be pure before his maker?
18 [God] doesn’t trust his own servants,
he finds fault even with his angels;
19 much more those living in houses of clay,
whose foundation is in the dust.
They are crushed more easily than a worm;
20 shattered between morning and evening;
they perish forever, and no one takes notice.
21 Their cord within them is pulled up;
then they die, without ever gaining wisdom.’
Job 4
Palabra de Dios para Todos
Habla Elifaz
4 Elifaz de Temán respondió:
2 «¿Te molestarías si tratara de hablar contigo?
No aguanto más quedarme callado.
3 Job, tú les has enseñado a muchos
y fortalecido a gente necesitada.
4 Tus consejos han dado firmeza al que vacilaba
y fortalecido a los débiles.
5 Pero ahora que algo malo te sucede a ti, te molestas;
estás abrumado y te angustias.
6 ¿No te da confianza tu fe en Dios?
¿No te llena de esperanza tu vida honesta?
7 »Piensa en esto: ¿Qué inocente ha sido alguna vez destruido?
¿Cuándo se ha visto que el justo sea exterminado?
8 Conforme a lo que yo he visto,
los que cultivan el mal y siembran dificultades, eso cosechan.
9 Dios acaba con esa gente,
él los destruye de un soplo.
10 Un león ruge; se oye su llanto,
y se rompen los dientes de los leoncillos.
11 Se muere el león que no caza
y los cachorros se desparraman.
12 »Yo recibí un mensaje en secreto,
fue un susurro que apenas capté.
13 Me llegó mientras dormía,
cuando uno cae en sueño profundo.
14 Me llené de temor y temblor,
y me estremecí hasta los huesos.
15 Un espíritu me rozó la cara
y se me puso la piel de gallina.
16 Al fin se detuvo, pero no pude distinguir la forma.
Hubo silencio; se entreveía una figura delante de mí
y de pronto oí un susurro que decía:
17 “¿Puede un ser humano ser inocente ante Dios?
Nadie es puro comparado con Dios”.
18 Si Dios no se confía de sus mismos siervos
y hasta encuentra que sus ángeles cometen errores,
19 con mayor razón, él aplasta como a una polilla
a los que habitan en estas casas hechas de barro,[a]
y cuyos cimientos están en el polvo.
20 Son hechos papilla desde la mañana hasta el anochecer por falta de cimiento;
y son destruidos para siempre.
21 ¿Acaso no se les arranca la cuerda de su carpa?
Mueren sin haber encontrado la sabiduría.
Footnotes
- 4:19 casas hechas de barro Se refiere al cuerpo humano.
Job 4
New King James Version
Eliphaz: Job Has Sinned
4 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 “If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary?
But who can withhold himself from speaking?
3 Surely you have instructed many,
And you (A)have strengthened weak hands.
4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
And you (B)have strengthened the [a]feeble knees;
5 But now it comes upon you, and you are weary;
It touches you, and you are troubled.
6 Is not (C)your reverence (D)your confidence?
And the integrity of your ways your hope?
7 “Remember now, (E)who ever perished being innocent?
Or where were the upright ever cut off?
8 Even as I have seen,
(F)Those who plow iniquity
And sow trouble reap the same.
9 By the blast of God they perish,
And by the breath of His anger they are consumed.
10 The roaring of the lion,
The voice of the fierce lion,
And (G)the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 (H)The old lion perishes for lack of prey,
And the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
12 “Now a word was secretly brought to me,
And my ear received a whisper of it.
13 (I)In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night,
When deep sleep falls on men,
14 Fear came upon me, and (J)trembling,
Which made all my bones shake.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face;
The hair on my body stood up.
16 It stood still,
But I could not discern its appearance.
A form was before my eyes;
There was silence;
Then I heard a voice saying:
17 ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God?
Can a man be more pure than his Maker?
18 If He (K)puts no trust in His servants,
If 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 a moth?
20 (L)They are broken in pieces from morning till evening;
They perish forever, with no one regarding.
21 Does not their own excellence go away?
They die, even without wisdom.’
Footnotes
- Job 4:4 Lit. bending
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
© 2005, 2015 Bible League International
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
