King James Version KJV
The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
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Then Elifaz the Teimani spoke up:
2 If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?
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"If one tries to speak to you, will you mind? Yet who could keep from speaking?
3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
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You have given moral instruction to many, you have firmed up feeble hands,
4 Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.
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your words have supported those who were stumbling, and you have strengthened the weak-kneed.
5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
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"But now it comes to you, and you are impatient; at the first touch, you are in shock.
6 Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?
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Isn't your fear of God your assurance, and the integrity of your ways your hope?
7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?
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"Think back: what innocent person has perished? Since when are the upright destroyed?
8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.
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What I see is that those who plow sin and sow trouble reap just that.
9 By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.
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At a breath from God, they perish; at a blast from his anger, they are consumed.
10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
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The lion may growl, the king lion may roar, but that old lion's teeth are broken;
11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.
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so the lion succumbs from lack of prey, and the lion's cubs are scattered.
12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.
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"For a word was stealthily brought to me, my ear caught only a whisper of it.
13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,
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In passing thoughts flashing through visions at night, when sleep lies heavy on people,
14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.
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a shiver of horror came over me; it made all my bones tremble.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:
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Then a spirit passed in front of my face; the hair of my flesh stood on end.
16 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,
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It stood still, but I couldn't make out its appearance; yet the form stayed there before my eyes. Then I heard a subdued voice:
17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
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'Can a human be seen by God as righteous? Can a mortal be pure before his maker?
18 Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:
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[God] doesn't trust his own servants, he finds fault even with his angels;
19 How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?
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much more those living in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust. They are crushed more easily than a worm;
20 They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.
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shattered between morning and evening; they perish forever, and no one takes notice.
21 Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.
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Their cord within them is pulled up; then they die, without ever gaining wisdom.'