Job 4:1–27:23
4 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 “If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary?
But who can withhold himself from speaking?
3 Surely you have instructed many,
And you ahave strengthened weak hands.
4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
And you bhave strengthened the 1feeble knees;
5 But now it comes upon you, and you are weary;
It touches you, and you are troubled.
6 Is not cyour reverence dyour confidence?
And the integrity of your ways your hope?
7 “Remember now, ewho ever perished being innocent?
Or where were the upright ever cut off?
fThose who plow iniquity
And sow trouble reap the same.
9 By the blast of God they perish,
And by the breath of His anger they are consumed.
The voice of the fierce lion,
And gthe teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 hThe old lion perishes for lack of prey,
And the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
12 “Now a word was secretly brought to me,
And my ear received a whisper of it.
13 iIn disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night,
When deep sleep falls on men,
14 Fear came upon me, and jtrembling,
Which made all my bones shake.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face;
The hair on my body stood up.
But I could not discern its appearance.
A form was before my eyes;
There was silence;
Then I heard a voice saying:
17 ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God?
Can a man be more pure than his Maker?
18 If He kputs no trust in His servants,
If He charges His angels with error,
19 How much more those who dwell in houses of clay,
Whose foundation is in the dust,
Who are crushed before a moth?
20 lThey are broken in pieces from morning till evening;
They perish forever, with no one regarding.
21 Does not their own excellence go away?
They die, even without wisdom.’
Eliphaz: Job is Chastened by God
5 “Call out now; Is there anyone who will answer you?
And to which of the holy ones will you turn?
2 For wrath kills a foolish man,
And envy slays a simple one.
3 aI have seen the foolish taking root,
But suddenly I cursed his dwelling place.
4 His sons are bfar from safety,
They are crushed in the gate,
And cthere is no deliverer.
5 Because the hungry eat up his harvest,
1Taking it even from the thorns,
2And a snare snatches their 3substance.
6 For affliction does not come from the dust,
Nor does trouble spring from the ground;
7 Yet man is dborn to 4trouble,
As the sparks fly upward.
8 “But as for me, I would seek God,
And to God I would commit my cause—
9 Who does great things, and unsearchable,
Marvelous things without number.
10 eHe gives rain on the earth,
And sends waters on the fields.
11 fHe sets on high those who are lowly,
And those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 gHe frustrates the devices of the crafty,
So that their hands cannot carry out their plans.
13 He catches the hwise in their own craftiness,
And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them.
14 They meet with darkness in the daytime,
And grope at noontime as in the night.
15 But iHe saves the needy from the sword,
From the mouth of the mighty,
And from their hand.
16 jSo the poor have hope,
And injustice shuts her mouth.
17 “Behold, khappy is the man whom God corrects;
Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.
18 lFor He bruises, but He binds up;
He wounds, but His hands make whole.
19 mHe shall deliver you in six troubles,
Yes, in seven nno evil shall touch you.
20 oIn famine He shall redeem you from death,
And in war from the 5power of the sword.
21 pYou shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes.
22 You shall laugh at destruction and famine,
And qyou shall not be afraid of the rbeasts of the earth.
23 sFor you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field,
And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.
24 You shall know that your tent is in peace;
You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss.
25 You shall also know that tyour descendants shall be many,
And your offspring ulike the grass of the earth.
26 vYou shall come to the grave at a full age,
As a sheaf of grain ripens in its season.
27 Behold, this we have wsearched out;
It is true.
Hear it, and know for yourself.”
6 Then Job answered and said:
2 “Oh, that my grief were fully weighed,
And my calamity laid with it on the scales!
3 For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea—
Therefore my words have been rash.
4 aFor the arrows of the Almighty are within me;
My spirit drinks in their poison;
bThe terrors of God are arrayed cagainst me.
5 Does the dwild donkey bray when it has grass,
Or does the ox low over its fodder?
6 Can flavorless food be eaten without salt?
Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7 My soul refuses to touch them;
They are as loathsome food to me.
8 “Oh, that I might have my request,
That God would grant me the thing that I long for!
9 That it would please God to crush me,
That He would loose His hand and ecut me off!
10 Then I would still have comfort;
Though in anguish I would exult,
He will not spare;
For fI have not concealed the words of gthe Holy One.
11 “What strength do I have, that I should hope?
And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones?
Or is my flesh bronze?
And is success driven from me?
14 “To hhim who is 1afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend,
Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
15 iMy brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook,
jLike the streams of the brooks that pass away,
16 Which are dark because of the ice,
And into which the snow vanishes.
17 When it is warm, they cease to flow;
When it is hot, they vanish from their place.
18 The paths of their way turn aside,
They go nowhere and perish.
19 The caravans of kTema look,
The travelers of lSheba hope for them.
20 They are mdisappointed 2because they were confident;
They come there and are confused.
21 For now nyou are nothing,
You see terror and oare afraid.
22 Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me’?
Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’?
23 Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand’?
Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of oppressors’?
24 “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue;
Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
25 How forceful are right words!
But what does your arguing prove?
26 Do you intend to rebuke my words,
And the speeches of a desperate one, which are as wind?
27 Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless,
And you pundermine your friend.
28 Now therefore, be pleased to look at me;
For I would never lie to your face.
29 qYield now, let there be no injustice!
Yes, concede, my rrighteousness 3still stands!
30 Is there injustice on my tongue?
Cannot my 4taste discern the unsavory?
Job: My Suffering is Comfortless
7 “Is there not aa time of hard service for man on earth?
Are not his days also like the days of a hired man?
2 Like a servant who 1earnestly desires the shade,
And like a hired man who eagerly looks for his wages,
3 So I have been allotted bmonths of futility,
And wearisome nights have been appointed to me.
4 cWhen I lie down, I say, ‘When shall I arise,
And the night be ended?’
For I have had my fill of tossing till dawn.
5 My flesh is dcaked with worms and dust,
My skin is cracked and breaks out afresh.
6 “My edays are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,
And are spent without hope.
7 Oh, remember that fmy life is a breath!
My eye will never again see good.
8 gThe eye of him who sees me will see me no more;
While your eyes are upon me, I shall no longer be.
9 As the cloud disappears and vanishes away,
So hhe who goes down to the grave does not come up.
10 He shall never return to his house,
iNor shall his place know him anymore.
11 “Therefore I will jnot restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will kcomplain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I a sea, or a sea serpent,
That You set a guard over me?
13 lWhen I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,
My couch will ease my complaint,’
14 Then You scare me with dreams
And terrify me with visions,
15 So that my soul chooses strangling
And death rather than 2my body.
16 mI loathe my life;
I would not live forever.
nLet me alone,
For omy days are but 3a breath.
17 “What pis man, that You should exalt him,
That You should set Your heart on him,
18 That You should 4visit him every morning,
And test him every moment?
Will You not look away from me,
And let me alone till I swallow my saliva?
What have I done to You, qO watcher of men?
Why rhave You set me as Your target,
So that I am a burden 5to myself?
21 Why then do You not pardon my transgression,
And take away my iniquity?
For now I will lie down in the dust,
And You will seek me diligently,
But I will no longer be.”
8 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2 “How long will you speak these things,
And the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
3 aDoes God subvert judgment?
Or does the Almighty pervert justice?
4 If byour sons have sinned against Him,
He has cast them away 1for their transgression.
5 cIf you would earnestly seek God
And make your supplication to the Almighty,
6 If you were pure and upright,
Surely now He would 2awake for you,
And prosper your rightful dwelling place.
7 Though your beginning was small,
Yet your latter end would dincrease abundantly.
8 “For einquire, please, of the former age,
And consider the things discovered by their fathers;
9 For fwe were born yesterday, and know 3nothing,
Because our days on earth are a shadow.
10 Will they not teach you and tell you,
And utter words from their heart?
11 “Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh?
Can the reeds flourish without water?
12 gWhile it is yet green and not cut down,
It withers before any other plant.
13 So are the paths of all who hforget God;
And the hope of the ihypocrite shall perish,
14 Whose confidence shall be cut off,
And whose trust is 4a spider’s web.
15 jHe leans on his house, but it does not stand.
He holds it fast, but it does not endure.
And his branches spread out in his garden.
17 His roots wrap around the rock heap,
And look for a place in the stones.
18 kIf he is destroyed from his place,
Then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’