Job 4-6

¹Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

¹Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

²If one assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

³Behold, thou hast instructed many, And thou hast strengthened the weak hands.

⁴Thy words have upholden him that was falling, And thou hast made firm the feeble knees.

⁵But now it is come unto thee, and thou faintest; It toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

²If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?

³Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.

⁴Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.

⁵But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

⁶Is not thy fear of God thy confidence, And the integrity of thy ways thy hope?

⁷Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?

⁸According as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, And sow trouble, reap the same.

⁶Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?

⁷Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?

⁸Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

⁹By the breath of God they perish, And by the blast of his anger are they consumed.

¹⁰The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

¹¹The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.

¹²Now a thing was secretly brought to me, And mine ear received a whisper thereof.

¹³In thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth on men, ¹⁴Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones to shake.

¹⁵Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair of my flesh stood up.

¹⁶It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof; A form was before mine eyes: There was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, ¹⁷Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

⁹By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.

¹⁰The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

¹¹The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion’s whelps are scattered abroad.

¹²Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.

¹³In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,

¹⁴Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.

¹⁵Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:

¹⁶It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,

¹⁷Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

¹⁸Behold, he putteth no trust in his servants; And his angels he chargeth with folly: ¹⁹How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before the moth!

²⁰Betwixt morning and evening they are destroyed: They perish for ever without any regarding it.

²¹Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.

¹⁸Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:

¹⁹How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?

²⁰They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.

²¹Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.

¹Call now; is there any that will answer thee? And to which of the holy ones wilt thou turn?

²For vexation killeth the foolish man, And jealousy slayeth the silly one.

³I have seen the foolish taking root: But suddenly I cursed his habitation.

⁴His children are far from safety, And they are crushed in the gate, Neither is there any to deliver them: ⁵Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, And taketh it even out of the thorns; And the snare gapeth for their substance.

⁶For affliction cometh not forth from the dust, Neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; ⁷But man is born unto trouble, As the sparks fly upward.

⁸But as for me, I would seek unto God, And unto God would I commit my cause;

¹Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?

²For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.

³I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.

⁴His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.

⁵Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.

⁶Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;

⁷Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

⁸I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:

⁹Who doeth great things and unsearchable, Marvellous things without number: ¹⁰Who giveth rain upon the earth, And sendeth waters upon the fields; ¹¹So that he setteth up on high those that are low, And those that mourn are exalted to safety.

¹²He frustrateth the devices of the crafty, So that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

¹³He taketh the wise in their own craftiness; And the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.

⁹Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:

¹⁰Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields:

¹¹To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.

¹²He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

¹³He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.

¹⁴They meet with darkness in the day-time, And grope at noonday as in the night.

¹⁵But he saveth from the sword of their mouth, Even the needy from the hand of the mighty.

¹⁶So the poor hath hope, And iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

¹⁷Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.

¹⁴They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night.

¹⁵But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.

¹⁶So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

¹⁷Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

¹⁸For he maketh sore, and bindeth up; He woundeth, and his hands make whole.

¹⁹He will deliver thee in six troubles; Yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.

²⁰In famine he will redeem thee from death; And in war from the power of the sword.

²¹Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue; Neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.

²²At destruction and dearth thou shalt laugh; Neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

²³For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field; And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

²⁴And thou shalt know that thy tent is in peace; And thou shalt visit thy fold, and shalt miss nothing.

²⁵Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, And thine offspring as the grass of the earth.

²⁶Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, Like as a shock of grain cometh in in its season.

²⁷Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; Hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

¹⁸For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

¹⁹He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.

²⁰In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.

²¹Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.

²²At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

²³For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

²⁴And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.

²⁵Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.

²⁶Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.

²⁷Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

¹Then Job answered and said, ²Oh that my vexation were but weighed, And all my calamity laid in the balances!

¹But Job answered and said,

²Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!

³For now it would be heavier than the sand of the seas: Therefore have my words been rash.

⁴For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, The poison whereof my spirit drinketh up: The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

⁵Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? Or loweth the ox over his fodder?

⁶Can that which hath no savor be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

⁷My soul refuseth to touch them; They are as loathsome food to me.

⁸Oh that I might have my request; And that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

⁹Even that it would please God to crush me; That he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

¹⁰And be it still my consolation, Yea, let me exult in pain that spareth not, That I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

³For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.

⁴For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

⁵Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?

⁶Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

⁷The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.

⁸Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

⁹Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

¹⁰Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

¹¹What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is mine end, that I should be patient?

¹²Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh of brass?

¹³Is it not that I have no help in me, And that wisdom is driven quite from me?

¹⁴To him that is ready to faint kindness should be showed from his friend; Even to him that forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

¹¹What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?

¹²Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?

¹³Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?

¹⁴To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

¹⁵My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, As the channel of brooks that pass away; ¹⁶Which are black by reason of the ice, And wherein the snow hideth itself: ¹⁷What time they wax warm, they vanish; When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

¹⁸The caravans that travel by the way of them turn aside; They go up into the waste, and perish.

¹⁹The caravans of Tema looked, The companies of Sheba waited for them.

²⁰They were put to shame because they had hoped; They came thither, and were confounded.

²¹For now ye are nothing; Ye see a terror, and are afraid.

²²Did I say, Give unto me? Or, Offer a present for me of your substance?

²³Or, Deliver me from the adversary’s hand? Or, Redeem me from the hand of the oppressors?

²⁴Teach me, and I will hold my peace; And cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

²⁵How forcible are words of uprightness! But your reproof, what doth it reprove?

²⁶Do ye think to reprove words, Seeing that the speeches of one that is desperate are as wind?

¹⁵My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;

¹⁶Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:

¹⁷What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

¹⁸The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.

¹⁹The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.

²⁰They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.

²¹For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.

²²Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?

²³Or, Deliver me from the enemy’s hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?

²⁴Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

²⁵How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?

²⁶Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?

²⁷Yea, ye would cast lots upon the fatherless, And make merchandise of your friend.

²⁸Now therefore be pleased to look upon me; For surely I shall not lie to your face.

²⁹Return, I pray you, let there be no injustice; Yea, return again, my cause is righteous.

³⁰Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern mischievous things?

²⁷Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.

²⁸Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.

²⁹Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.

³⁰Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?