Eliphaz's First Speech
Please Be Patient and Listen
1 Eliphaz from Teman said:
2 Please be patient and listen
to what I have to say.
* 3 Remember how your words
4 have guided and encouraged
many in need.
5 But now you feel discouraged
when struck by trouble.
6 You respect God and live right,
so don't lose hope!
7 No truly innocent person
has ever died young.
8 In my experience, only those
who plant seeds of evil
harvest trouble,
9 and then they are swept away
by the angry breath of God.
10 They may roar and growl
like powerful lions.
But when God breaks their teeth,
11 they starve, and their children
are scattered.
A Secret Was Told to Me
12 A secret was told to me
in a faint whisper—
13 I was overcome by sleep,
but disturbed by dreams;
14 I trembled with fear,
15 and my hair stood on end,
as a wind blew past my face.
16 It stopped and stood still.
Then a form appeared—
a shapeless form.
And from the silence,
I heard a voice say,
17 “No humans are innocent
in the eyes of God
their Creator.
18 He finds fault with his servants
and even with his angels.
19 Humans are formed from clay
and are fragile as moths,
so what chance do you have?
20 Born after daybreak,
you die before nightfall
and disappear forever.
21 Your tent pegs are pulled up,
and you leave this life,
having gained no wisdom.”
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, and sayde, 2 If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieued? but who can withholde himselfe from speaking? 3 Behold, thou hast taught many, and hast strengthened the wearie hands. 4 Thy wordes haue confirmed him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the weake knees. 5 But now it is come vpon thee, and thou art grieued: it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. 6 Is not this thy feare, thy confidence, thy pacience, and the vprightnesse of thy wayes? 7 Remember, I pray thee: who euer perished, being an innocent? or where were the vpright destroyed? 8 As I haue seene, they that plow iniquitie, and sowe wickednesse, reape the same. 9 With the blast of God they perish, and with the breath of his nostrels are they cosumed. 10 The roaring of the Lion, and the voyce of the Lionesse, and the teeth of the Lions whelpes are broken. 11 The Lyon perisheth for lacke of pray, and the Lyons whelpes are scattered abroade. 12 But a thing was brought to me secretly, and mine eare hath receiued a litle thereof. 13 In the thoughtes of ye visions of the night, when sleepe falleth on men, 14 Feare came vpon me, and dread which made all my bones to tremble. 15 And the wind passed before me, and made the heares of my flesh to stande vp. 16 Then stoode one, and I knewe not his face: an image was before mine eyes, and in silence heard I a voyce, saying, 17 Shall man be more iust then God? or shall a man be more pure then his maker? 18 Beholde, he founde no stedfastnesse in his Seruants, and laid follie vpon his Angels. 19 Howe much more in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which shalbe destroyed before the moth? 20 They be destroyed from the morning vnto the euening: they perish for euer, without regarde. 21 Doeth not their dignitie goe away with them? do they not die, and that without wisdom?