Job, 4

¹ Elʹi·phaz the Teʹman·ite then said in reply:

² “If someone tries to speak to you, will you become impatient? For who can hold back from speaking?

³ True, you have corrected many, And you used to strengthen the weak hands.

⁴ Your words would raise up anyone stumbling, And you would strengthen those whose knees were buckling.

⁵ But now it has happened to you, and you are overwhelmed;^*1 It touches you, and you are dismayed.

⁶ Does your reverence for God not give you confidence? Does your way of integrity not give you hope?

⁷ Remember, please: What innocent person has ever perished? When have the upright ever been destroyed?

⁸ What I have seen is that those who plow^*1 what is harmful And those who sow trouble will reap the same.

⁹ 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^*1 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.^*1

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.