^{1 Ref} Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

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

^{3 Ref} Behold, thou hast instructed many, And thou hast strengthened the weak hands.

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

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

^{6 Ref} Is not thy fear `of God' thy confidence, `And' the integrity of thy ways thy hope?

^{7 Ref} Remember, I pray thee, who `ever' perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?

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

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

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

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

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

^{13 Ref} In thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth on men,

^{14 Ref} Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones to shake.

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

^{16 Ref} It 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',

^{17 Ref} Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?

^{18 Ref} Behold, he putteth no trust in his servants; And his angels he chargeth with folly:

^{19 Ref} How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before the moth!

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

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

^{1 Ref} And Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said,

^{2 Ref} If one says a word, will it be a weariness to you? but who is able to keep from saying what is in his mind?

^{3 Ref} Truly, you have been a helper to others, and you have made feeble hands strong;

^{4 Ref} He who was near to falling has been lifted up by your words, and you have given strength to bent knees.

^{5 Ref} But now it has come on you and it is a weariness to you; you are touched by it and your mind is troubled.

^{6 Ref} Is not your fear of God your support, and your upright way of life your hope?

^{7 Ref} Have you ever seen destruction come to an upright man? or when were the god-fearing ever cut off?

^{8 Ref} What I have seen is that those by whom trouble has been ploughed, and evil planted, get the same for themselves.

^{9 Ref} By the breath of God destruction takes them, and by the wind of his wrath they are cut off.

^{10 Ref} Though the noise of the lion and the sounding of his voice, may be loud, the teeth of the young lions are broken.

^{11 Ref} The old lion comes to his end for need of food, and the young of the she-lion go wandering in all directions.

^{12 Ref} A word was given to me secretly, and the low sound of it came to my ears.

^{13 Ref} In troubled thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep comes on men,

^{14 Ref} Fear came on me and shaking, and my bones were full of trouble;

^{15 Ref} And a breath was moving over my face; the hair of my flesh became stiff:

^{16 Ref} Something was present before me, but I was not able to see it clearly; there was a form before my eyes: a quiet voice came to my ears, saying:

^{17 Ref} May a man be upright before God? or a man be clean before his Maker?

^{18 Ref} Truly, he puts no faith in his servants, and he sees error in his angels;

^{19 Ref} How much more those living in houses of earth, whose bases are in the dust! They are crushed more quickly than an insect;

^{20 Ref} Between morning and evening they are completely broken; they come to an end for ever, and no one takes note.

^{21 Ref} If their tent-cord is pulled up, do they not come to an end, and without wisdom?