New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
1
And Eliphaz the Temanite made answer and said,
2 "If one ventures a word with you, will you be offended? But who can keep from speaking?
2
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 See, you have instructed many; you have strengthened the weak hands.
3
Truly, you have been a helper to others, and you have made feeble hands strong;
4 Your words have supported those who were stumbling, and you have made firm the feeble knees.
4
He who was near to falling has been lifted up by your words, and you have given strength to bent knees.
5 But now it has come to you, and you are impatient; it touches you, and you are dismayed.
5
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 Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?
6
Is not your fear of God your support, and your upright way of life your hope?
7 "Think now, who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off?
7
Have you ever seen destruction come to an upright man? or when were the god-fearing ever cut off?
8 As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.
8
What I have seen is that those by whom trouble has been ploughed, and evil planted, get the same for themselves.
9 By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.
9
By the breath of God destruction takes them, and by the wind of his wrath they are cut off.
10 The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions are broken.
10
Though the noise of the lion and the sounding of his voice, may be loud, the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 The strong lion perishes for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness are scattered.
11
The old lion comes to his end for need of food, and the young of the she-lion go wandering in all directions.
12 "Now a word came stealing to me, my ear received the whisper of it.
12
A word was given to me secretly, and the low sound of it came to my ears.
13 Amid thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on mortals,
13
In troubled thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep comes on men,
14 dread came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.
14
Fear came on me and shaking, and my bones were full of trouble;
15 A spirit glided past my face; the hair of my flesh bristled.
15
And a breath was moving over my face; the hair of my flesh became stiff:
16 It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, then I heard a voice:
16
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 "Can mortals be righteous before God? Can human beings be pure before their Maker?
17
May a man be upright before God? or a man be clean before his Maker?
18 Even in his servants he puts no trust, and his angels he charges with error;
18
Truly, he puts no faith in his servants, and he sees error in his angels;
19 how much more those who live in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed like a moth.
19
How much more those living in houses of earth, whose bases are in the dust! They are crushed more quickly than an insect;
20 Between morning and evening they are destroyed; they perish forever without any regarding it.
20
Between morning and evening they are completely broken; they come to an end for ever, and no one takes note.
21 Their tent-cord is plucked up within them, and they die devoid of wisdom.'
21
If their tent-cord is pulled up, do they not come to an end, and without wisdom?
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.