1 T hen Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

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

“If one speaks with you, will you want him to stop? But who can keep from speaking?

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

See, you have taught many, and you have given strength to weak hands.

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

Your words have helped him stand who would have fallen. You have given strength to weak knees.

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

But now it has come to you, and you are not happy. It touches you, and you are troubled and sad.

6 I s not your reverence your confidence? And the integrity of your ways your hope?

Is not your fear of God what gives you strength and your good ways that give you hope?

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

“Think now, who without guilt was ever destroyed?

8 E ven as I have seen, Those who plow iniquity And sow trouble reap the same.

As I have seen, those who plow sin and plant trouble gather 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 are destroyed. They are destroyed by the wind of His anger.

10 T he roaring of the lion, The voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions are broken.

The noise of the lion, the voice of the angry 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 strong lion dies because there is no food to get. And the young of the lioness are sent everywhere.

12 “ Now a word was secretly brought to me, And my ear received a whisper of it.

“Now a word was brought to me in secret. My ear heard it spoken in a quiet voice.

13 I n disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on men,

With troubled thoughts from the dreams of the night, when deep sleep comes upon men,

14 F ear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones shake.

fear came to me and I shook. It made all my bones shake.

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

A spirit passed by 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:

The spirit stood still, but I could not understand what I saw. Something was in front of my eyes. All was quiet, then I heard a voice:

17 ‘ Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?

‘Can man be right more than God? Can a man be pure more than his Maker?

18 I f He puts no trust in His servants, If He charges His angels with error,

He puts no trust even in His servants. He finds mistakes among His angels.

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 live in houses of clay, who build upon 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 seeing it they become lost forever.

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

Is not their tent-rope pulled up within them? They die, and have no wisdom.’