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Eliphaz Says the Innocent Do Not Suffer

¹ Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,

² "If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient?
But ^(C1)who can refrain ^(F1)from speaking?

³ "Behold, ^(C1)you have taught many,
And you have strengthened weak hands.

⁴ "Your words have helped the stumbling to stand,
And you have strengthened ^(F1)feeble knees.

⁵ "But now it comes to you, and you ^(C1)are impatient;
It ^(C2)touches you, and you are horrified.

⁶ "Is your ^(F1)(C1)fear of God not ^(C2)your confidence,
And the integrity of your ways your hope?

⁷ "Remember now, ^(C1)who ever perished being innocent?
Or where were the upright destroyed?

⁸ "According to what I have seen, ^(C1)those who ^(F1)plow wrongdoing
And those who sow trouble harvest it.

⁹ "By ^(C1)the breath of God they perish,
And ^(C2)by the ^(F1)blast of His anger they come to an end.

¹⁰ "The ^(C1)roaring of the lion and the voice of the fierce lion,
And the teeth of the young lions are broken out.

¹¹ "The ^(C1)lion perishes for lack of prey,
And the ^(C2)cubs of the lioness are scattered.

¹² "Now a word ^(C1)was brought to me secretly,
And my ear received a ^(C2)whisper of it.

¹³ "Amid disquieting ^(C1)thoughts from visions of the night,
When deep sleep falls on people,

¹⁴ Dread came upon me, and trembling,
And made ^(F1)all my bones shake.

¹⁵ "Then a ^(F1)spirit passed by my face;
The hair of my flesh stood up.

¹⁶ "Something was standing still, but I could not recognize its appearance;
A form was before my eyes;
There was silence, then I heard a voice:

¹⁷ 'Can ^(C1)mankind be righteous ^(F1)before God?
Can a man be pure ^(F1)before his ^(C2)Maker?

¹⁸ '^(C1)He puts no trust even in His servants;
And He accuses His angels of error.

¹⁹ 'How much more those who live in ^(C1)houses of clay,
Whose ^(C2)foundation is in the dust,
Who are crushed before the moth!

²⁰ '^(C1)Between morning and evening they are broken in pieces;
Unregarded, they ^(C2)perish forever.

²¹ 'Is their ^(C1)tent-cord not pulled out within them?
They die, yet ^(C2)without wisdom.'