Study Desk

Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

"If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient? But who can refrain from speaking?

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

"Behold, you have taught many, And you have strengthened weak hands.

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

"Your words have helped the stumbling to stand, And you have strengthened feeble knees.

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

"But now it comes to you, and you are impatient; It touches you, and you are horrified.

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

"Is your fear of God not your confidence, And the integrity of your ways your hope?

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

"Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright destroyed?

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

"According to what I have seen, those who plow wrongdoing And those who sow trouble harvest it.

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

"By the breath of God they perish, And by the blast of His anger they come to an end.

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 out.

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

"The lion perishes for lack of prey, And the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

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

"Now a word was brought to me secretly, And my ear received a whisper of it.

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

"Amid disquieting thoughts from visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on people,

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

Dread came upon me, and trembling, And made all my bones shake.

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

"Then a spirit passed by my face; The hair of my flesh stood up.

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

"Something was standing still, but I could not recognize its appearance; A form was before my eyes; There was silence, then I heard a voice:

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,

'Can mankind be righteous before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker?

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

'He puts no trust even in His servants; And He accuses His angels of error.

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

'How much more those who live in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before the moth!

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

'Between morning and evening they are broken in pieces; Unregarded, they perish forever.

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

'Is their tent-cord not pulled out within them? They die, yet without wisdom.'

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