4:1 Then Eliphaz the Thaemanite answered and
said,
4:2 Hast thou been often spoken to in distress? but who hall endure the
force of thy words?
4:3 For whereas thou hast instructed many, and hast strengthened the hands
of the weak one,
4:4 and hast supported the failing with words, and hast imparted courage to
feeble knees.
4:5 Yet now [that] pain has come upon thee, and touched thee, thou art
troubled.
4:6 Is not thy fear [founded] in folly, thy hope also, and the mischief of
thy way?
4:7 Remember then who has perished, being pure? or when were the
true-hearted utterly destroyed?
4:8 Accordingly as I have seen men ploughing barren places, and they that
sow them will reap sorrows for themselves.
4:9 They shall perish by the command of the Lord, and shall be utterly
consumed by the breath of his wrath.
4:10 The strength of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the
exulting cry of serpents are quenched.
4:11 The old lion has perished for want of food, and the lions' whelps have
forsaken one another.
4:12 But if there had been any truth in thy words, none of these evils would
have befallen thee. Shall not mine ear receive excellent [revelations] from
him?
4:13 But [as when] terror falls upon men, with dread and a sound in the
night,
4:14 horror and trembling seized me, and caused all my bones greatly to
shake.
4:15 And a spirit came before my face; and my hair and flesh quivered.
4:16 I arose and perceived it not: I looked, and there, was no form before
my eyes: but I only heard a breath and a voice, [saying],
4:17 What, shall a mortal be pure before the Lord? or a man be blameless in
regard to his works?
4:18 Whereas he trust not in his servants, and perceives perverseness in his
angels.
4:19 But [as for] them that dwell in houses of clay, of whom we also are
formed of the same clay, he smites them like a moth.
4:20 And from the morning to evening they no longer exist: they have
perished, because they cannot help themselves.
4:21 For he blows upon them, and they are withered: they have perished for
lack of wisdom. |
4:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and
said,
4:2 If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can
withhold himself from speaking?
4:3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak
hands.
4:4 Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened
the feeble knees.
4:5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and
thou art troubled.
4:6 Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of
thy ways?
4:7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were
the righteous cut off?
4:8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap
the same.
4:9 By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are
they consumed.
4:10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the
teeth of the young lions, are broken.
4:11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps
are scattered abroad.
4:12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little
thereof.
4:13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on
men,
4:14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.
4:15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:
4:16 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,
4:17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than
his maker?
4:18 Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with
folly:
4:19 How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is
in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?
4:20 They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever
without any regarding it.
4:21 Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even
without wisdom. |