The first round of the debate

Eliphaz's first speech

Please be patient and listen

1Eliphaz from Teman4.1 Teman: See the note at 2.11. said:

2Please be patient and listen

to what I have to say.

3-4Remember how your words

have guided and encouraged

many in need.

5But now you feel discouraged

when struck by trouble.

6You respect God and live right,

so don't lose hope!

7No truly innocent person

has ever died young.

8In my experience, only those

who plant seeds of evil

harvest trouble,

9and then they are swept away

by the angry breath of God.

10They may roar and growl

like powerful lions.

But when God breaks their teeth,

11they starve, and their children

are scattered.

A secret was told to me

12A secret was told to me

in a faint whisper—

13I was overcome by sleep,4.13: Job 33.15.

but disturbed by dreams;

14I trembled with fear,

15and my hair stood on end,

as a wind blew past my face.

16It stopped and stood still.

Then a form appeared—

a shapeless form.

And from the silence,

I heard a voice say,

17“No humans are innocent

in the eyes of God

their Creator.

18He finds fault with his servants

and even with his angels.

19Humans are formed from clay

and are fragile as moths,

so what chance do you have?

20Born after daybreak,

you die before nightfall

and disappear for ever.

21Your tent pegs are pulled up,

and you leave this life,

having gained no wisdom.”