Job 4:1-21

  • Eliphaz’ first speech (1-21)

    • Ridicules Job’s integrity (7, 8)

    • Relates a spirit’s message (12-17)

    • ‘God has no faith in his servants’ (18)

4  Elʹi·phaz+ the Teʹman·ite then said in reply:   “If someone tries to speak to you, will you become impatient? For who can hold back from speaking?   True, you have corrected many,And you used to strengthen the weak hands.   Your words would raise up anyone stumbling,And you would strengthen those whose knees were buckling.   But now it has happened to you, and you are overwhelmed;*It touches you, and you are dismayed.   Does your reverence for God not give you confidence? Does your way of integrity+ not give you hope?   Remember, please: What innocent person has ever perished? When have the upright ever been destroyed?   What I have seen is that those who plow* what is harmfulAnd those who sow trouble will reap the same.   By the breath of God they perish,And through a blast of his anger they come to an end. 10  The lion roars, and a young lion growls,But even the teeth of strong lions* are broken. 11  A lion perishes for lack of prey,And the cubs of a lion are scattered. 12  Now a word was brought to me in secret,And a whisper of it reached my ear. 13  In troubling thoughts during visions of the night,When deep sleep falls upon men, 14  A terrible trembling came upon me,Filling all my bones with dread. 15  A spirit passed over my face;The hair of my flesh bristled. 16  It then stood still,But I did not recognize its appearance. A form was in front of my eyes;There was a calm, and then I heard a voice: 17  ‘Can a mortal man be more righteous than God? Can a man be cleaner than his own Maker?’ 18  Look! He has no faith in his servants,And he finds fault with his angels.* 19  How much more so with those dwelling in houses of clay,Whose foundation is in the dust,+Who are crushed as easily as a moth! 20  They are completely crushed from morning to evening;They perish forever, and no one takes notice. 21  Are they not like a tent whose cord is pulled out? They die without wisdom.

Footnotes

Lit., “you become weary.”
Or “devise.”
Or “maned young lions.”
Or “messengers.”