Job

The book of Job, chapter 4, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 4 New English Translation

Eliphaz Begins to Speak

   1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
   2 "If someone should attempt a word with you, will you be impatient? But who can refrain from speaking?
   3 Look, you have instructed many; you have strengthened feeble hands.
   4 Your words have supported those who stumbled, and you have strengthened the knees that gave way.
   5 But now the same thing comes to you, and you are discouraged; it strikes you, and you are terrified.
   6 Is not your piety your confidence, and your blameless ways your hope?
   7 Call to mind now: Who, being innocent, ever perished? And where were upright people ever destroyed?
   8 Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same.
   9 By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.
   10 There is the roaring of the lion and the growling of the young lion, but the teeth of the young lions are broken.
   11 The mighty lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

Ungodly Complainers Provoke God's Wrath

   12 "Now a word was secretly brought to me, and my ear caught a whisper of it.
   13 In the troubling thoughts of the dreams in the night when a deep sleep falls on men,
   14 a trembling gripped me - and a terror! - and made all my bones shake.
   15 Then a breath of air passes by my face; it makes the hair of my flesh stand up.
   16 It stands still, but I cannot recognize its appearance; an image is before my eyes, and I hear a murmuring voice:
   17 "Is a mortal man righteous before God? Or a man pure before his Creator?
   18 If God puts no trust in his servants and attributes folly to his angels,
   19 how much more to those who live in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed like a moth?
   20 They are destroyed between morning and evening; they perish forever without anyone regarding it.
   21 Is not their excess wealth taken away from them? They die, yet without attaining wisdom.

King James Version

   1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
   2 If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?
   3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
   4 Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.
   5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
   6 Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?
   7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?
   8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.
   9 By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.
   10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
   11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.
   12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.
   13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,
   14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.
   15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:
   16 It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,
   17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
   18 Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:
   19 How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?
   20 They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.
   21 Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.