Then Eliphaz the Temanite
answered
and said
,
If we assay to commune
with thee, wilt thou be grieved
? but who can
withhold
himself from speaking
?
Behold, thou hast instructed many
, and thou hast strengthened
the weak
hands
.
Thy words have upholden
him that was falling
, and thou hast strengthened
the feeble
knees
.
But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest
; it toucheth
thee, and thou art troubled
.
Is not this thy fear, thy confidence
, thy hope
, and the uprightness
of thy ways
?
Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished
, being innocent
? or where
were the righteous
cut off
?
Even as I have seen, they that plow
iniquity
, and sow
wickedness
, reap
the same.
By the blast of God
they perish
, and by the breath
of his nostrils
are they consumed
.
The roaring of the lion
, and the voice
of the fierce lion
, and the teeth
of the young lions
, are broken
.
The old lion perisheth
for lack
of prey
, and the stout lion's
whelps
are scattered abroad
.
Now a thing was secretly brought
to me, and mine ear
received
a little
thereof.
In thoughts from the visions
of the night
, when deep sleep
falleth
on men
,
Fear came
upon me, and trembling
, which made all
my bones
to shake
.
Then a spirit passed
before my face
; the hair
of my flesh
stood up
:
It 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 ,
Shall mortal man be more just
than God
? shall a man
be more pure
than his maker
?
Behold, he put no trust in his servants
; and his angels
he charged
with folly
:
How much less in them that dwell
in houses
of clay
, whose foundation
is in the dust
, which are crushed
before
the moth
?
They are destroyed from morning
to evening
: they perish
for ever
without any regarding
it .
Doth not their excellency which is in them go away
? they die
, even without wisdom
.