Eliphaz Speaks: The Innocent Prosper

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

“If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?
    Yet who can keep from speaking?
Behold, you have instructed many,
    and you have (A)strengthened the weak hands.
Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
    and you have (B)made firm the feeble knees.
But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
    it touches you, and you are dismayed.
(C)Is not your fear of God[a] your (D)confidence,
    and the integrity of your ways your hope?

“Remember: (E)who that was innocent ever perished?
    Or where were the upright cut off?
As I have seen, those who (F)plow iniquity
    and sow trouble reap the same.
By (G)the breath of God they perish,
    and by (H)the blast of his anger they are consumed.
10 The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion,
    (I)the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 The strong lion perishes for lack of prey,
    and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

12 “Now a word was brought to me stealthily;
    my ear received (J)the whisper of it.
13 Amid (K)thoughts from (L)visions of the night,
    when (M)deep sleep falls on men,
14 dread came upon me, and trembling,
    which made all my bones shake.
15 A spirit glided past my face;
    the hair of my flesh stood up.
16 It stood still,
    but I could not discern its appearance.
(N)A form was before my eyes;
    there was silence, then I heard (O)a voice:
17 (P)‘Can mortal man be in the right before[b] God?
    Can a man be pure before his Maker?
18 Even in his servants (Q)he puts no trust,
    and his angels he charges with error;
19 how much more those who dwell in houses of (R)clay,
    whose foundation is in (S)the dust,
    who are crushed like[c] (T)the moth.
20 Between (U)morning and evening they are beaten to pieces;
    they perish forever (V)without anyone regarding it.
21 Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them,
    (W)do they not die, and that without wisdom?’

Footnotes

  1. Job 4:6 Hebrew lacks of God
  2. Job 4:17 Or more than; twice in this verse
  3. Job 4:19 Or before

Eliphaz Says the Innocent Do Not Suffer

Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,

“If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient?
But (A)who can refrain [a]from speaking?
Behold, (B)you have taught many,
And you have strengthened weak hands.
Your words have helped the stumbling to stand,
And you have strengthened [b]feeble knees.
But now it comes to you, and you (C)are impatient;
It (D)touches you, and you are horrified.
Is your [c](E)fear of God not (F)your confidence,
And the integrity of your ways your hope?

“Remember now, (G)who ever perished being innocent?
Or where were the upright destroyed?
According to what I have seen, (H)those who [d]plow wrongdoing
And those who sow trouble harvest it.
By (I)the breath of God they perish,
And (J)by the [e]blast 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 out.
11 The (L)lion perishes for lack of prey,
And the (M)cubs of the lioness are scattered.

12 “Now a word (N)was brought to me secretly,
And my ear received a (O)whisper of it.
13 Amid disquieting (P)thoughts from visions of the night,
When deep sleep falls on people,
14 Dread came upon me, and trembling,
And made [f]all my bones shake.
15 Then a [g]spirit passed by my face;
The hair of my flesh stood up.
16 Something was standing 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 righteous [h]before God?
Can a man be pure [i]before his (R)Maker?
18 (S)He puts no trust even in His servants;
And He accuses His angels of error.
19 How much more those who live 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;
Unregarded, they (W)perish forever.
21 Is their (X)tent-cord not pulled out within them?
They die, yet (Y)without wisdom.’

Footnotes

  1. Job 4:2 Lit in words
  2. Job 4:4 Lit knees giving way
  3. Job 4:6 Or reverence for
  4. Job 4:8 I.e., devise
  5. Job 4:9 Lit wind
  6. Job 4:14 Lit the multitude of
  7. Job 4:15 Or wind passed over
  8. Job 4:17 Lit from
  9. Job 4:17 Lit from

Reproches de Elifaz

Entonces respondió Elifaz temanita, y dijo:

Si alguien osara hablarte, ¿te pondrías impaciente?
Pero ¿quién puede abstenerse de hablar[a](A)?
He aquí, tú has exhortado a muchos,
y las manos débiles has fortalecido(B).
Al que tropezaba tus palabras han levantado[b],
y las rodillas débiles[c] has robustecido.
Pero ahora que te ha llegado a ti, te impacientas(C);
te toca a ti, y te desalientas(D).
¿No es tu temor[d] a Dios(E) tu confianza(F),
y la integridad de tus caminos tu esperanza?

Recuerda ahora, ¿quién siendo inocente ha perecido jamás?
¿O dónde han sido destruidos los rectos(G)?
Por lo que yo he visto, los que aran iniquidad
y los que siembran aflicción, eso siegan(H).
Por el aliento de Dios perecen(I),
y por la explosión[e] de su ira son consumidos(J).
10 El rugido del león, el bramido de la fiera[f]
y los dientes de los leoncillos son quebrantados(K).
11 El león perece por falta de presa(L),
y los cachorros de la leona se dispersan(M).

12 Una palabra me fue traída furtivamente(N),
y mi oído percibió un susurro(O) de ella.
13 Entre pensamientos inquietantes de visiones nocturnas,
cuando el sueño profundo cae sobre los hombres(P),
14 me sobrevino un espanto, un temblor
que hizo estremecer todos[g] mis huesos.
15 Entonces un espíritu pasó cerca de[h] mi rostro,
y el pelo de mi piel[i] se erizó.
16 Algo se detuvo, pero no pude reconocer su aspecto;
una figura estaba delante de mis ojos,
hubo silencio, después oí una voz:
17 «¿Es el mortal justo delante de Dios(Q)?
¿Es el hombre puro delante de su Hacedor(R)?
18 Dios no confía ni aún en sus propios siervos;
y a sus ángeles atribuye errores(S).
19 ¡Cuánto más a los que habitan en casas de barro(T),
cuyos cimientos están en el polvo(U),
que son aplastados como[j] la polilla!
20 Entre la mañana y la tarde son hechos pedazos(V);
sin que nadie se dé cuenta, perecen para siempre(W).
21 ¿No les es arrancada la cuerda de su tienda(X)?
Mueren, mas sin sabiduría(Y)».

Footnotes

  1. Job 4:2 Lit., en palabras
  2. Job 4:4 Lit., han hecho que se levante
  3. Job 4:4 Lit., que se doblaban
  4. Job 4:6 O, reverencia
  5. Job 4:9 Lit., el viento
  6. Job 4:10 Lit., león
  7. Job 4:14 Lit., la multitud de
  8. Job 4:15 O, aliento pasó sobre
  9. Job 4:15 Lit., carne
  10. Job 4:19 Lit., delante de

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

If we 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 strengthened the feeble knees.

But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?

Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?

Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils 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 stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.

12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little 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 a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:

16 It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and 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 put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:

19 How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?

20 They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.

21 Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.