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Eliphaz: Innocent Do Not Suffer

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,


“If we dare to converse with you, will you be impatient [or offended]?
But who can restrain himself from speaking?

“Behold, you have admonished and instructed many,
And you have strengthened weak hands.

“Your words have helped the one who was stumbling to stand,
And you have strengthened feeble knees.

“But now [a]adversity comes upon you, and you are impatient and intolerant;
It touches you, and you are horrified.

“Is not your fear of God your confidence,
And [is not] the integrity and uprightness of your ways your hope?


“Remember now, who, being innocent, ever perished?
Or where [and in what circumstances] were those upright and in right standing with God destroyed?

“As I have seen, those who plow wickedness
And those who sow trouble and harm harvest it.

“By the breath of God they perish,
And by the blast of His anger they are 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 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 
“Amid disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night,
When deep sleep falls on men,
14 
Dread and trembling came upon me,
Which made all my bones shake.
15 
“Then a spirit passed before my face;
The hair on my skin stood on end!
16 
“The spirit stood still, but I could not discern its appearance;
A form was before my eyes;
There was silence, and then I heard a voice, saying:
17 
‘Can [mortal] man be just before God or be more righteous than He?
Can a man be pure before his Maker or be more cleansed than He?(A)
18 
‘God puts no trust or confidence, even in His [heavenly] servants,
And He charges His angels with error.
19 
‘How much more [will He blame and charge] those who dwell in houses (bodies) of clay,
Whose foundations are in the dust,
Who are crushed like a moth.
20 
‘Between morning and evening they are broken in pieces and destroyed;
Unobserved and unnoticed, they perish forever.
21 
‘Is not their tent-cord drawn up within them [so that the tent collapses]?
Do they not die, and yet without [acquiring] wisdom?’

Footnotes

  1. Job 4:5 Lit it.

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, who ever 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.’

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)