The Book of Job

And Eliphaz the Temanite answers and says:

“Has one tried a word with you? You are weary! And who is able to keep in words?

Behold, you have instructed many, || And feeble hands you make strong.

Your words raise up the stumbling one, || And you strengthen bowing knees.

But now, it comes to you, || And you are weary; It strikes to you, and you are troubled.

Is your reverence not your confidence? Your hope—the perfection of your ways?

Now remember, || Who, being innocent, has perished? And where have the upright been cut off?

As I have seen—plowers of iniquity, || And sowers of misery, reap it!

From the breath of God they perish, || And from the spirit of His anger [are] consumed.

The roaring of a lion, || And the voice of a fierce lion, || And teeth of young lions have been broken.

An old lion is perishing without prey, || And the whelps of the lioness separate.

And a thing is secretly brought to me, || And my ear receives a little of it.

In thoughts from visions of the night, || In the falling of deep sleep on men,

Fear has met me, and trembling, || And the multitude of my bones caused to fear.

And a spirit passes before my face, || The hair of my flesh stands up;

It stands, and I do not discern its aspect, || A likeness [is] before my eyes, || Silence! And I hear a voice:

Is mortal man more righteous than God? Is a man cleaner than his Maker?

Behold, He puts no credence in His servants, || Nor sets praise in His messengers.

Also—the inhabitants of houses of clay || (Whose foundation [is] in the dust, || They bruise them before a moth).

From morning to evening are beaten down, || Without any regarding, they perish forever.

Has their excellence not been removed with them? They die, and not in wisdom!”

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

“If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

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

Your words have supported him who was falling, you have made the feeble knees firm.

But now it has come to you, and you faint. It touches you, and you are troubled.

Isn’t your piety your confidence? Isn’t the integrity of your ways your hope?

“Remember, now, whoever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?

According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble, reap the same.

By the breath of God they perish. By the blast of his anger are they consumed.

The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

The old lion perishes for lack of prey. The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.

“Now a thing was secretly brought to me. My ear received a whisper of it.

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

fear came on me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.

Then a spirit passed before my face. The hair of my flesh stood up.

It stood still, but I couldn’t discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes. Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,

‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

Behold, he puts no trust in his servants. He charges his angels with error.

How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!

Between morning and evening they are destroyed. They perish forever without any regarding it.

Isn’t their tent cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.’