1 A nd Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2 I f a word were essayed to thee, wouldest thou be grieved? But who can refrain from speaking?

If we venture to converse with you, will you be offended? Yet who can restrain himself from speaking?

3 B ehold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands;

Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands.

4 T hy words have upholden him that was stumbling, and thou hast braced up the bending knees:

Your words have held firm him who was falling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees.

5 B ut now it is come upon thee, and thou grievest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

But now it is come upon you, and you faint and are grieved; it touches you, and you are troubled and dismayed.

6 H ath not thy piety been thy confidence, and the perfection of thy ways thy hope?

Is not your fear of God your confidence and the integrity and uprightness of your ways your hope?

7 R emember, I pray thee, who that was innocent has perished? and where were the upright cut off?

Think, I beg of you: who, being innocent, ever perished? Or where were those upright and in right standing with God cut off?

8 E ven as I have seen, they that plough iniquity and sow mischief, reap the same.

As I myself have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble and mischief reap the same.

9 B y the breath of +God they perish, and by the blast of his nostrils are they consumed.

By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of His anger they are consumed.

10 T he roar of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken;

The roaring of the lion and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions are broken.

11 T he old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness are scattered.

The old and strong lion perishes for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.

12 N ow to me a word was secretly brought, and mine ear received a whisper thereof.

Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a whisper of it.

13 I n thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men:—

In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,

14 F ear came on me, and trembling, and made all my bones to shake;

Fear came upon me and trembling, which made all my bones shake.

15 A nd a spirit passed before my face—the hair of my flesh stood up—

Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up!

16 I t stood still; I could not discern the appearance thereof: a form was before mine eyes; I heard a slight murmur and a voice:

stood still, but I could not discern the appearance of it. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, and then I heard a voice, saying,

17 S hall man be more just than +God? Shall a man be purer than his Maker?

Can mortal man be just before God, or be more right than He is? Can a man be pure before his Maker, or be more cleansed than He is?

18 L o, he trusteth not his servants, and his angels he chargeth with folly:

Even in His servants He puts no trust or confidence, and His angels He charges with folly and error—

19 H ow much more them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed as the moth!

How much more those who dwell in houses (bodies) of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who are crushed like the moth.

20 F rom morning to evening are they smitten: without any heeding it, they perish for ever.

Between morning and evening they are destroyed; without anyone noticing it they perish forever.

21 I s not their tent-cord torn away in them? they die, and without wisdom.

Is not their tent cord plucked up within them ? Do they not die, and that without wisdom?