1 T hen Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

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

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

3 S ee, you have taught many, and you have given strength to weak hands.

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

4 Y our words have helped him stand who would have fallen. You have given strength to weak knees.

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

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

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 fear of God what gives you strength and your good ways that give you hope?

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

7 “ Think now, who without guilt was ever 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 A s I have seen, those who plow sin and plant trouble gather 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 are destroyed. They are destroyed by the wind of His anger.

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

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

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 in secret. My ear heard it spoken in a quiet voice.

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

13 W ith troubled thoughts from the dreams of the night, when deep sleep comes upon men,

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

14 f ear came to me and I shook. It made all my bones shake.

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

15 A spirit passed by my face. The hair of my flesh stood up.

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

16 T he 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:

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 man be right more than God? Can a man be pure more 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 H e puts no trust even in His servants. He finds mistakes among His angels.

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 live in houses of clay, who build upon the dust, who are crushed like 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 B etween morning and evening they are destroyed. Without anyone seeing it they become lost forever.

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

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

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