1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 2If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?4.2 to…: Heb. a word4.2 withhold…: Heb. refrain from words? 3Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. 4Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. 5But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. 6Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?
7Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? 8Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. 9By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.4.9 by the breath…: that is, by his anger 10The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken. 11The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion’s whelps are scattered abroad.
12Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.4.12 secretly: Heb. by stealth 13In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, 14Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.4.14 came…: Heb. met4.14 all: Heb. the multitude of 15Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: 16It 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,4.16 there…: or, I heard a still voice 17Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? 18Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:4.18 and his…: or, nor in his angels, in whom he put light 19How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth? 20They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.4.20 destroyed: Heb. beaten in pieces 21Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.
以利法的責難
1提幔人以利法回答說：
2「若有人向你進言，
你會厭煩嗎？
可是，誰能忍住不說呢？
3你曾教導許多人，
使無力的手強壯。
4你的話使人免於跌倒，
你使顫抖的膝硬朗。
5但現在苦難一來，
你便灰心喪膽；
災禍來臨，
你便驚慌失措。
6你敬畏上帝還沒有信心嗎？
你行為純全還沒有盼望嗎？
7你想一想，
哪有無辜的人滅亡？
哪有正直的人遭殃？
8據我所見，
播惡收惡，
種禍得禍。
9他們被上帝的氣息所毀，
被上帝的怒氣所滅。
10獅子咆哮，猛獅吼叫，
壯獅的牙齒被敲掉。
11雄獅因無食而死，
母獅的幼崽離散。
12「有信息暗暗地傳給我，
一聲低語傳入我耳中。
13夜間人們沉睡的時候，
在攪擾思緒的異象中，
14恐懼襲來，
令我戰慄不已，
全身發抖。
15有靈從我臉上拂過，
使我毛骨悚然。
16那靈停住，
我無法辨認其模樣。
眼前出現一個形狀，
寂靜中聽見有聲音說，
17『在上帝面前，世人豈算得上公義？
在創造主面前，凡人豈算得上純潔？
18連上帝的僕人都無法令祂信任，
連祂的天使都被祂找出過錯，
19更何況源自塵土、
住在土造的軀殼裡、
脆弱如蛾的世人呢？
20早晚之間，他們便被毀滅，
永遠消逝，無人察覺。
21他們帳篷的繩索被拔起，
他們毫無智慧地死去。』
