4:1

וַיַּעַן אֱלִיפַז הַתֵּימָנִי וַיֹּאמַר׃

Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:

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4:2

הֲנִסָּה דָבָר אֵלֶיךָ תִּלְאֶה וַעְצֹר בְּמִלִּין מִי יוּכָל׃

If one venture a word unto thee, wilt thou be weary? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

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4:3

הִנֵּה יִסַּרְתָּ רַבִּים וְיָדַיִם רָפוֹת תְּחַזֵּק׃

Behold, thou hast instructed many, And thou hast strengthened the weak hands.

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4:4

כּוֹשֵׁל יְקִימוּן מִלֶּיךָ וּבִרְכַּיִם כֹּרְעוֹת תְּאַמֵּץ׃

Thy words have upholden him that was falling, And thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.

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4:5

כִּי עַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֵלֶיךָ וַתֵּלֶא תִּגַּע עָדֶיךָ וַתִּבָּהֵל׃

But now it is come upon thee, and thou art weary; It toucheth thee, and thou art affrighted.

4:6

הֲלֹא יִרְאָתְךָ כִּסְלָתֶךָ תִּקְוָתְךָ וְתֹם דְּרָכֶיךָ׃

Is not thy fear of God thy confidence, And thy hope the integrity of thy ways?

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4:7

זְכָר־נָא מִי הוּא נָקִי אָבָד וְאֵיפֹה יְשָׁרִים נִכְחָדוּ׃

Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?

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4:8

כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי חֹרְשֵׁי אָוֶן וְזֹרְעֵי עָמָל יִקְצְרֻהוּ׃

According as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, And sow mischief, reap the same.

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4:9

מִנִּשְׁמַת אֱלוֹהַ יֹאבֵדוּ וּמֵרוּחַ אַפּוֹ יִכְלוּ׃

By the breath of God they perish, And by the blast of His anger are they consumed.

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4:10

שַׁאֲגַת אַרְיֵה וְקוֹל שָׁחַל וְשִׁנֵּי כְפִירִים נִתָּעוּ׃

The lion roareth, and the fierce lion howleth— Yet the teeth of the young lions are broken.

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4:11

לַיִשׁ אֹבֵד מִבְּלִי־טָרֶף וּבְנֵי לָבִיא יִתְפָּרָדוּ׃

The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.

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4:12

וְאֵלַי דָּבָר יְגֻנָּב וַתִּקַּח אָזְנִי שֵׁמֶץ מֶנְהוּ׃

Now a word was secretly brought to me, And mine ear received a whisper thereof.

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4:13

בִּשְׂעִפִּים מֵחֶזְיֹנוֹת לָיְלָה בִּנְפֹל תַּרְדֵּמָה עַל־אֲנָשִׁים׃

In thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth on men,

4:14

פַּחַד קְרָאַנִי וּרְעָדָה וְרֹב עַצְמוֹתַי הִפְחִיד׃

Fear came upon me, and trembling, And all my bones were made to shake. .

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4:15

וְרוּחַ עַל־פָּנַי יַחֲלֹף תְּסַמֵּר שַׂעֲרַת בְּשָׂרִי׃

Then a spirit passed before my face, That made the hair of my flesh to stand up.

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4:16

יַעֲמֹד וְלֹא־אַכִּיר מַרְאֵהוּ תְּמוּנָה לְנֶגֶד עֵינָי דְּמָמָה וָקוֹל אֶשְׁמָע׃

It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof; A form was before mine eyes; I heard a still voice:

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4:17

הַאֱנוֹשׁ מֵאֱלוֹהַ יִצְדָּק אִם מֵעֹשֵׂהוּ יִטְהַר־גָּבֶר׃

’Shall mortal man be just before God? Shall a man be pure before his Maker?

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4:18

הֵן בַּעֲבָדָיו לֹא יַאֲמִין וּבְמַלְאָכָיו יָשִׂים תָּהֳלָה׃

Behold, He putteth no trust in His servants, And His angels He chargeth with folly;

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4:19

אַף שֹׁכְנֵי בָתֵּי־חֹמֶר אֲשֶׁר־בֶּעָפָר יְסוֹדָם יְדַכְּאוּם לִפְנֵי־עָשׁ׃

How much more them that dwell in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!

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4:20

מִבֹּקֶר לָעֶרֶב יֻכַּתּוּ מִבְּלִי מֵשִׂים לָנֶצַח יֹאבֵדוּ׃

Betwixt morning and evening they are shattered; They perish for ever without any regarding it.

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4:21

הֲלֹא־נִסַּע יִתְרָם בָּם יָמוּתוּ וְלֹא בְחָכְמָה׃

Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.’

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