1 T hen Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2 “ If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient? 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 “ Behold you have admonished many, And you have strengthened weak hands.

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

4 “ Your words have helped the tottering to stand, And you have strengthened feeble knees.

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

5 “ But now it has come to you, and you are impatient; It touches you, and you are dismayed.

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

6 “ Is not your fear of God your confidence, And the integrity of your ways your hope?

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

7 “ Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright destroyed?

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

8 “ According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity And those who sow trouble harvest it.

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

9 “ By the breath of God they perish, And by the blast of His anger they come to an end.

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

10 “ The roaring 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 “ The lion perishes 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 “ Now a word was brought to me stealthily, And my ear received a whisper of it.

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

13 “ Amid disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on men,

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

14 D read came upon me, and trembling, And made all my bones shake.

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

15 “ Then a spirit passed by my face; The hair of my flesh bristled up.

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

16 “ It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; A form was before my eyes; There was silence, then I heard 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 ‘ Can mankind be just before God? Can a man be pure before 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 ‘ He puts no trust even in His servants; And against His angels He charges error.

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

19 ‘ How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before 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 ‘ Between morning and evening they are broken in pieces; Unobserved, they perish forever.

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

21 ‘ Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? They die, yet without wisdom.’

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