Now when Job’s three friends heard of his plight,
They made an appointment to gather.
They wanted to mourn with and comfort him.
They seemed to be birds of a feather!

There was Eliphaz the Temanite
And Bildad the Shuhite was there.
Zophar the Naamathite was the third.
They came, their concern to declare.

And when they lifted their eyes from afar,
They did not recognize him .
They lifted up their voices and wept,
Each tore his robe, sprinkled dust on his head.
They did not know how to begin!

So they sat down with him upon the ground,
For seven days and seven nights they sat,
And none spoke a word unto him.
For they saw that his grief was very great,
So their chance to comfort was slim.

After this, Job began to speak.
He cursed the day of his birth.
His speech was full of darkness,
There were no expressions of mirth.

Then Eliphaz, theTemanite began his speech,
If we attempt a word with you, will you be grieved?
Who can withhold himself from speaking?
There is much to be conceived!

Behold, thou hast instructed many,
Thou hast strengthened the hands that were weak.
Thy words have upheld him that was falling.
Thou hast strengthened  feeble knees of the meek.

But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest
It touched thee and troubled thou art,
Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope,
And the uprightness of the ways of thy heart?

I pray thee, remember, who ever perished, being innocent?
Or where were the righteous defamed?
Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity,
And sew wickedness, reap full measure of the same!

By the blast of God, they perish,
By the breath of his nostrils, they are consumed.
The roaring of the lion, the fierce lion.
The teeth of the young lion are broken,
The old lion perisheth for lack of prey
And cubs of the lioness are scattered away!

Now a thing was secretly brought to me,
Mine ears received a little thereof,
In thoughts from the visions of the night
When deep sleep falleth on men from above.

Fear came upon me and trembling
Which made all my bones to shake.
Then a spirit passed before my face,
The hair of my flesh stood up straight!

It stood still but I could not discern the form thereof
An image was before mine eyes.
There was silence and I heard a voice saying,
Shall mortal man be more just than God of the skies?

Behold, God puts no trust in His servants
And His angels are charged with lack of good sense.
How much less in them that dwell in clay houses,
Whose fragile foundation bring sad recompense.

They are destroyed from morning to evening.
They perish forever and no one cares.
Does not their excellence go with them?
They die without wisdom, and they die unaware!

(So we have come to a break in the chapter,
And while Eliphaz catches his breath,
I think I will take a break from writing,
And get some much needed rest!!)

D. Arbaugh