Job 4
Living Bible
4 A reply to Job from Eliphaz the Temanite:
2 “Will you let me say a word? For who could keep from speaking out? 3-4 In the past[a] you have told many a troubled soul to trust in God and have encouraged those who are weak or falling, or lie crushed upon the ground or are tempted to despair. 5 But now when trouble strikes, you faint and are broken.
6 “At such a time as this should not trust in God still be your confidence? Shouldn’t you believe that God will care for those who are good?[b] 7-8 Stop and think! Have you ever known a truly good and innocent person who was punished? Experience teaches that it is those who sow sin and trouble who harvest the same. 9 They die beneath the hand of God. 10 Though they are fierce as young lions, they shall all be broken and destroyed. 11 Like aged, helpless lions they shall starve, and all their children shall be scattered.
12 “This truth was given me in secret, as though whispered in my ear. 13 It came in a nighttime vision as others slept. 14 Suddenly, fear gripped me; I trembled and shook with terror, 15 as a spirit passed before my face—my hair stood up on end. 16 I felt the spirit’s presence, but couldn’t see it standing there. Then out of the dreadful silence came this voice:
17 “‘Is mere man more just than God? More pure than his Creator?’
18-19 “If God cannot trust his own messengers (for even angels make mistakes), how much less men made of dust, who are crushed to death as easily as moths! 20 They are alive in the morning, but by evening they are dead, gone forever with hardly a thought from anyone. 21 Their candle of life is snuffed out. They die and no one cares.
Job 4
New International Reader's Version
The First Speech of Eliphaz
4 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied,
2 “Job, suppose someone tries to talk to you.
Will that make you uneasy?
I can’t keep from speaking up.
3 Look, you taught many people.
You made weak hands strong.
4 Your words helped those who had fallen down.
You made shaky knees strong.
5 Now trouble comes to you. And you are unhappy about it.
It strikes you down. And you are afraid.
6 Shouldn’t you worship God and trust in him?
Shouldn’t your honest life give you hope?
7 “Here’s something to think about.
Have people who aren’t guilty ever been wiped out?
Have honest people ever been completely destroyed?
8 Here’s what I’ve observed.
People gather a crop from what they plant.
If they plant evil and trouble, that’s what they will harvest.
9 The breath of God destroys them.
The blast of his anger wipes them out.
10 Powerful lions might roar and growl.
But their teeth are broken.
11 Lions die because they don’t have any food.
Then their cubs are scattered.
12 “A message came to me in secret.
It was as quiet as a whisper.
13 I had a scary dream one night.
I was sound asleep.
14 Fear and trembling seized me.
That made every bone in my body shake.
15 A spirit glided past my face.
The hair on my body stood on end.
16 Then the spirit stopped.
But I couldn’t tell what it was.
Something stood there in front of me.
I heard a soft voice.
17 It said, ‘Can a human being be more right than God?
Can even a strong man be more pure than the God who made him?
18 God doesn’t trust those who serve him.
He even brings charges against his angels.
19 So he’ll certainly find fault with human beings.
After all, they are made out of dust.
They can be crushed more easily than a moth.
20 Between sunrise and sunset they are broken to pieces.
Nobody even notices. They disappear forever.
21 Like a tent that falls down, they get weak.
They die because they didn’t follow God’s wisdom.’ ”
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.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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