Job 4
Segond 21
Intervention n° 1 d'Eliphaz
4 Eliphaz de Théman prit la parole et dit:
2 «Si l’on tente de te dire un mot, le supporteras-tu?
Mais comment serait-il possible de garder le silence?
3 Tu as donné de nombreux avertissements,
tu as fortifié les bras qui se baissaient,
4 tes paroles ont relevé ceux qui trébuchaient,
tu as affermi les genoux qui pliaient,
5 et maintenant qu'il s'agit de toi, tu es abattu!
Maintenant que tu es atteint, tu es bouleversé!
6 Ta crainte de Dieu ne devrait-elle pas être ton soutien?
Ton espérance, n'est-ce pas l’intégrité de ta conduite?
7 »Cherche donc dans ton souvenir: quel est l'innocent qui est mort?
Où a-t-on vu disparaître les hommes droits?
8 Pour ma part, voici ce que j'ai vu: ceux qui labourent l’injustice
et qui sèment le malheur en récoltent les fruits;
9 ils sont détruits par le souffle de Dieu,
ils sont exterminés par le vent de sa colère.
10 Le lion a beau rugir, le fauve a beau gronder,
les dents des lionceaux sont brisées;
11 le lion meurt faute de proie
et les petits de la lionne se dispersent.
12 »Une parole est arrivée furtivement jusqu'à moi,
et mon oreille en a perçu les sons légers.
13 Au moment où les pensées sont agitées par les visions de la nuit,
quand un sommeil profond tombe sur les hommes,
14 j’ai été saisi de frayeur et d'épouvante
et tous mes os ont tremblé.
15 Un esprit est passé près de mon visage,
tous les poils de mon corps se sont hérissés.
16 Quelqu’un se tenait là. Je ne le reconnaissais pas.
Une silhouette était devant mes yeux.
Il y a d’abord eu un silence, puis j'ai entendu sa voix:
17 ‘L'homme pourrait-il être juste devant Dieu?
Pourrait-il être pur devant celui qui l'a fait?
18 Si Dieu ne peut faire confiance à ses serviteurs,
s'il trouve des défauts chez ses anges,
19 ce sera d’autant plus le cas pour ceux qui habitent des maisons d'argile
aux fondations posées dans la poussière
et qui peuvent être écrasés plus vite qu’une mite!
20 Il suffit d’une journée pour les briser;
ils disparaissent définitivement et personne n'y prête attention.
21 Le cordage de leur vie est-il coupé,
ils meurent sans avoir acquis la sagesse.’
Job 4
King James Version
4 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?
3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
4 Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.
5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
6 Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?
7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?
8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.
9 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.
Job 4
English Standard Version
Eliphaz Speaks: The Innocent Prosper
4 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 “If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?
Yet who can keep from speaking?
3 Behold, you have instructed many,
and you have (A)strengthened the weak hands.
4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
and you have (B)made firm the feeble knees.
5 But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
it touches you, and you are dismayed.
6 (C)Is not your fear of God[a] your (D)confidence,
and the integrity of your ways your hope?
7 “Remember: (E)who that was innocent ever perished?
Or where were the upright cut off?
8 As I have seen, those who (F)plow iniquity
and sow trouble reap the same.
9 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?’
Version Segond 21 Copyright © 2007 Société Biblique de Genève by Société Biblique de Genève
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
