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
New Life Version
Eliphaz Talks
4 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, 2 “If one speaks with you, will you want him to stop? But who can keep from speaking? 3 See, you have taught many, and you have given strength to weak hands. 4 Your words have helped him stand who would have fallen. You have given strength to weak knees. 5 But now it has come to you, and you are not happy. It touches you, and you are troubled and sad. 6 Is not your fear of God what gives you strength and your good ways that give you hope?
7 “Think now, who without guilt was ever destroyed? 8 As I have seen, those who plow sin and plant trouble gather the same. 9 By the breath of God they are destroyed. They are destroyed by the wind of His anger. 10 The noise of the lion, the voice of the angry lion, and the teeth of the young lions are broken. 11 The strong lion dies because there is no food to get. And the young of the lioness are sent everywhere.
12 “Now a word was brought to me in secret. My ear heard it spoken in a quiet voice. 13 With troubled thoughts from the dreams of the night, when deep sleep comes upon men, 14 fear came to me and I shook. It made all my bones shake. 15 A spirit passed by my face. The hair of my flesh stood up. 16 The spirit stood still, but I could not understand what I saw. Something was in front of my eyes. All was quiet, then I heard a voice: 17 ‘Can man be right more than God? Can a man be pure more than his Maker? 18 He puts no trust even in His servants. He finds mistakes among His angels. 19 How much more those who live in houses of clay, who build upon the dust, who are crushed like the moth! 20 Between morning and evening they are destroyed. Without anyone seeing it they become lost forever. 21 Is not their tent-rope pulled up within them? They die, and have no wisdom.’
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.