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And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: --

Hath one tried a word with thee? -- Thou art weary! And to keep in words who is able?

Lo, thou hast instructed many, And feeble hands thou makest strong.

The stumbling one do thy words raise up, And bowing knees thou dost strengthen.

But now, it cometh in unto thee, And thou art weary; It striketh unto thee, and thou art troubled.

Is not thy reverence thy confidence? Thy hope -- the perfection of thy ways?

Remember, I pray thee, Who, being innocent, hath perished? And where have the upright been cut off?

As I have seen -- ploughers of iniquity, And sowers of misery, reap it!

From the breath of God they perish, And from the spirit of His anger consumed.

10 The roaring of a lion, And the voice of a fierce lion, And teeth of young lions have been broken.

11 An old lion is perishing without prey, And the whelps of the lioness do separate.

12 And unto me a thing is secretly brought, And receive doth mine ear a little of it.

13 In thoughts from visions of the night, In the falling of deep sleep on men,

14 Fear hath met me, and trembling, And the multitude of my bones caused to fear.

15 And a spirit before my face doth pass, Stand up doth the hair of my flesh;

16 It standeth, and I discern not its aspect, A similitude [is] over-against mine eyes, Silence! and a voice I hear:

17 `Is mortal man than God more righteous? Than his Maker is a man cleaner?

18 Lo, in His servants He putteth no credence, Nor in His messengers setteth praise.'

19 Also -- the inhabitants of houses of clay, (Whose foundation [is] in the dust, They bruise them before a moth.)

20 From morning to evening are beaten down, Without any regarding, for ever they perish.

21 Hath not their excellency been removed with them? They die, and not in wisdom!

Eliphaz

Then Eliphaz the Temanite(A) replied:

“If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?
    But who can keep from speaking?(B)
Think how you have instructed many,(C)
    how you have strengthened feeble hands.(D)
Your words have supported those who stumbled;(E)
    you have strengthened faltering knees.(F)
But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged;(G)
    it strikes(H) you, and you are dismayed.(I)
Should not your piety be your confidence(J)
    and your blameless(K) ways your hope?

“Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?(L)
    Where were the upright ever destroyed?(M)
As I have observed,(N) those who plow evil(O)
    and those who sow trouble reap it.(P)
At the breath of God(Q) they perish;
    at the blast of his anger they are no more.(R)
10 The lions may roar(S) and growl,
    yet the teeth of the great lions(T) are broken.(U)
11 The lion perishes for lack of prey,(V)
    and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.(W)

12 “A word(X) was secretly brought to me,
    my ears caught a whisper(Y) of it.(Z)
13 Amid disquieting dreams in the night,
    when deep sleep falls on people,(AA)
14 fear and trembling(AB) seized me
    and made all my bones shake.(AC)
15 A spirit glided past my face,
    and the hair on my body stood on end.(AD)
16 It stopped,
    but I could not tell what it was.
A form stood before my eyes,
    and I heard a hushed voice:(AE)
17 ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God?(AF)
    Can even a strong man be more pure than his Maker?(AG)
18 If God places no trust in his servants,(AH)
    if he charges his angels with error,(AI)
19 how much more those who live in houses of clay,(AJ)
    whose foundations(AK) are in the dust,(AL)
    who are crushed(AM) more readily than a moth!(AN)
20 Between dawn and dusk they are broken to pieces;
    unnoticed, they perish forever.(AO)
21 Are not the cords of their tent pulled up,(AP)
    so that they die(AQ) without wisdom?’(AR)