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 American Standard Bible
Eliphaz Says the Innocent Do Not Suffer
4 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,
2 “If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient?
But (A)who can refrain [a]from speaking?
3 Behold, (B)you have taught many,
And you have strengthened weak hands.
4 Your words have helped the stumbling to stand,
And you have strengthened [b]feeble knees.
5 But now it comes to you, and you (C)are impatient;
It (D)touches you, and you are horrified.
6 Is your [c](E)fear of God not (F)your confidence,
And the integrity of your ways your hope?
7 “Remember now, (G)who ever perished being innocent?
Or where were the upright destroyed?
8 According to what I have seen, (H)those who [d]plow wrongdoing
And those who sow trouble harvest it.
9 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.’
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
