Job 4

Eliphaz Speaks: The Innocent Prosper

1 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 *Isa. 35:3;[Heb. 12:12]strengthened the weak hands.

4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,

and you have *[See ver. 3above]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 *ch. 1:1Is not your fear of God*4:6 Hebrew lacks of God your *ch. 31:24;Prov. 3:26confidence,

and the integrity of your ways your hope?

7 "Remember: *[Ps. 37:25]who that was innocent ever perished?

Or where were the upright cut off?

8 As I have seen, those who *Hos. 10:13;[Ps. 7:14;Prov. 22:8;Gal. 6:7,8]plow iniquity

and sow trouble reap the same.

9 By *Isa. 30:33the breath of God they perish,

and by *ch. 15:30;Ex. 15:8;Ps. 18:15;[Isa. 11:4;2 Thess. 2:8]the blast of his anger they are consumed.

10 The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion,

*Ps. 58:6;[ch. 29:17;Ps. 3:7]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 *ch. 26:14the whisper of it.

13 Amid *ch. 20:2thoughts from *ch. 33:15;Gen. 2:21;15:12;1 Sam. 26:12;Isa. 29:10visions of the night,

when *ch. 33:15;Gen. 2:21;15:12;1 Sam. 26:12;Isa. 29:10deep 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.

*Num. 12:8A form was before my eyes;

there was silence, then I heard *[1 Kgs. 19:12]a voice:

17 *ch. 9:2;10:4;25:4;32:2‘Can mortal man be in the right before*4:17 Or more than; twice in this verse God?

Can a man be pure before his Maker?

18 Even in his servants *ch. 15:15he puts no trust,

and his angels he charges with error;

19 how much more those who dwell in houses of *ch. 10:9;13:12;33:6;Isa. 64:8;2 Cor. 4:7;5:1clay,

whose foundation is in *Gen. 2:7;3:19;18:27the dust,

who are crushed like*4:19 Or before*[ch. 13:28]the moth.

20 Between *[Ps. 90:5,6;Isa. 38:12] morning and evening they are beaten to pieces;

they perish forever *[Isa. 42:25;57:1]without anyone regarding it.

21 Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them,

*ch. 36:12;Prov. 5:23;10:21;[Hos. 4:6]do they not die, and that without wisdom?’