Book of Job, Chapter 4
Job 4 NWT - New World TranslationChapter 4 of Job—New World Translation (NWT)
- ¶ And Elʹi·phaz1 the Teʹman·ite proceeded to reply and say:
- ¶ “If one does try out a word[a] to you, will you become weary?
But to put a restraint on words who is able? - ¶ Look! You have corrected many,2
And the weak hands you used to strengthen.3 - ¶ Anyone stumbling, your words[b] would raise up;4
And knees giving way you would make firm.5 - ¶ But this time it comes to you, and you become weary;
It touches even you, and you get disturbed. - ¶ Is not your reverence [the basis of] your confidence?
Is not your hope even the integrity6 of your ways? - ¶ Remember, please: Who that is innocent has ever perished?
And where have the upright7 ever been effaced? - ¶ According to what I have seen, those devising what is hurtful
And those sowing trouble will themselves reap it.8 - ¶ Through the breath of God they perish,
And through the spirit of his anger they come to an end. - ¶ There is the roaring of a lion,[c] and the voice of a young lion,
But the teeth of maned young lions do get broken down. - ¶ A lion is perishing from there being no prey,
And the cubs of a lion[d] are separated from one another. - ¶ Now to me a word was stealthily brought,
And my ear proceeded to get a whisper of it,9 - ¶ In disquieting thoughts from visions of the night,
When deep sleep falls upon men. - ¶ A dread came over me, and a trembling,
And the multitude of my bones it filled with dread. - ¶ And a spirit itself went passing over my face;
The hair of my flesh began to bristle. - ¶ It began to stand still,
But I did not recognize its appearance;
¶ A form was in front of my eyes;
There was a calm, and I now heard a voice: - ¶ ‘Mortal man[e]—can he be more just than God[f] himself?
Or can able-bodied man be cleaner than his own Maker?’ - ¶ Look! In his servants he has no faith,
And his messengers[g] he charges with faultiness. - ¶ How much more so with those dwelling in houses of clay,
Whose foundation is in the dust!10
One crushes them[h] more quickly than a moth. - ¶ From morning to evening they are crushed to pieces;
Without anyone’s taking [it to heart] they perish forever. - ¶ Has not their tent cord within them been pulled out?
They die for lack of wisdom.
FOOTNOTES
- ^ “Word.” Heb., dha·varʹ, used 20 times in Job.
- ^ “Your words.” Heb., mil·leyʹkha, used 34 times in Job and only 4 times in other books.
- ^ Heb., ʼar·yehʹ. An African lion.
- ^ Heb., la·viʼʹ. An Asian lion.
- ^ “Mortal man.” Heb., ha·ʼenohshʹ.
- ^ “Than God.” Heb., me·ʼElohʹah.
- ^ Or, “angels.”
- ^ Or, “They are crushed.”
REFERENCES
- ^ Jb 2:11; 42:9
- ^ Lu 17:3
- ^ Lu 22:32
- ^ Pr 12:18; 16:23; 1Th 5:14
- ^ Is 35:3; Heb 12:12
- ^ Jb 1:1
- ^ Jb 2:3; 42:7
- ^ Ga 6:7
- ^ 1Jo 4:1; Re 16:14
- ^ Ge 3:19
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