Job 4:8–21

⁸Whenever I saw those who plowed wickedness and planted misery, 

they gathered its harvest. 

⁹God destroys them with his breath 

and kills them with a blast of his anger. 

¹⁰Though the roar of the lion 

and the growl of the ferocious lion ⸤is loud⸥, 

the young lions have had their teeth knocked out. 

¹¹The old lions die without any prey ⸤to eat⸥, 

and the cubs of the lioness are scattered. 

¹²“I was told something secretly 

and heard something whispered in my ear. 

¹³With disturbing thoughts from visions in the night, 

when deep sleep falls on people, 

¹⁴fear and trembling came over me, 

and all my bones shook. 

¹⁵A spirit passed in front of me. 

It made my hair stand on end. 

¹⁶Something stood there. 

I couldn’t tell what it was. 

A vague image was in front of my eyes. 

I heard a soft voice: 

¹⁷‘Can ⸤any⸥ mortal be righteous to God? 

Can ⸤any⸥ human being be pure to his maker?’ 

¹⁸“You see, God doesn’t trust his own servants, 

and he accuses his angels of making mistakes. 

¹⁹How much more will he accuse those who live in clay houses 

that have their foundation in the dust. 

Those houses can be crushed quicker than a moth! 

²⁰From morning to evening, they are shattered. 

They will disappear forever without anyone paying attention. 

²¹Haven’t the ropes of their tent been loosened? 

Won’t they die without wisdom?