| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: | 1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: |
| 2“If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary? But who can withhold himself from speaking? | 2Should anyone try to speak with you when you are exhausted? Yet who can keep from speaking? |
| 3Surely you have instructed many, And you have strengthened weak hands. | 3Indeed, you have instructed many and have strengthened weak hands. |
| 4Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, And you have strengthened the feeble knees; | 4Your words have steadied the one who was stumbling and braced the knees that were buckling. |
| 5But now it comes upon you, and you are weary; It touches you, and you are troubled. | 5But now that this has happened to you, you have become exhausted. It strikes you, and you are dismayed. |
| 6Is not your reverence your confidence? And the integrity of your ways your hope? | 6Isn't your piety your confidence, and the integrity of your life your hope? |
| 7“Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off? | 7Consider: who has perished when he was innocent? Where have the honest been destroyed? |
| 8Even as I have seen, Those who plow iniquity And sow trouble reap the same. | 8In my experience, those who plow injustice and those who sow trouble reap the same. |
| 9By the blast of God they perish, And by the breath of His anger they are consumed. | 9They perish at a single blast from God and come to an end by the breath of His nostrils. |
| 10The roaring of the lion, The voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions are broken. | 10The lion may roar and the fierce lion growl, but the fangs of young lions are broken. |
| 11The old lion perishes for lack of prey, And the cubs of the lioness are scattered. | 11The strong lion dies if it catches no prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered. |
| 12“Now a word was secretly brought to me, And my ear received a whisper of it. | 12A word was brought to me in secret; my ears caught a whisper of it. |
| 13In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on men, | 13Among unsettling thoughts from visions in the night, when deep sleep descends on men, |
| 14Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones shake. | 14fear and trembling came over me and made all my bones shake. |
| 15Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair on my body stood up. | 15A wind passed by me, and I shuddered with fear. |
| 16It stood still, But I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; There was silence; Then I heard a voice saying: | 16A figure stood there, but I could not recognize its appearance; a form loomed before my eyes. I heard a quiet voice: |
| 17‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker? | 17"Can a person be more righteous than God, or a man more pure than his Maker?" |
| 18If He puts no trust in His servants, If He charges His angels with error, | 18If God puts no trust in His servants and He charges His angels with foolishness, |
| 19How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed before a moth? | 19how much more those who dwell in clay houses, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed like a moth! |
| 20They are broken in pieces from morning till evening; They perish forever, with no one regarding. | 20They are smashed to pieces from dawn to dusk; they perish forever while no one notices. |
| 21Does not their own excellence go away? They die, even without wisdom.’ | 21Are their tent cords not pulled up? They die without wisdom. |
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