1 T hen Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2 “ If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

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

3 S urely you have instructed many, And you have strengthened weak hands.

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

4 Y our words have upheld him who was stumbling, And you have strengthened the feeble knees;

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

5 B ut now it comes upon you, and you are weary; It touches you, and you are troubled.

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

6 I s not your reverence 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 ever 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, Those who plow iniquity And sow trouble reap the same.

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

9 B y the blast of God they perish, And by the breath of His anger they are consumed.

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

10 T he roaring of the lion, 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 perishes for lack of prey, And the cubs 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 secretly brought to me, 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 I n 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 F ear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones shake.

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

15 T hen a spirit passed before my face; The hair on my body stood up.

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

16 I t stood still, But I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; There was silence; Then I heard a voice saying:

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 a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure 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 I f He puts no trust in His servants, If He charges His angels with error,

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

19 H ow much more those who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before a 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 T hey are broken in pieces from morning till evening; They perish forever, with no one regarding.

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

21 D oes not their own excellence go away? They die, even without wisdom.’

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