Job 4:21
New International Version
Are not the cords of their tent pulled up, so that they die without wisdom?’

New Living Translation
Their tent-cords are pulled and the tent collapses, and they die in ignorance.

English Standard Version
Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them, do they not die, and that without wisdom?’

Berean Standard Bible
Are not their tent cords pulled up, so that they die without wisdom?’

King James Bible
Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.

New King James Version
Does not their own excellence go away? They die, even without wisdom.’

New American Standard Bible
‘Is their tent-cord not pulled out within them? They die, yet without wisdom.’

NASB 1995
‘Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? They die, yet without wisdom.’

NASB 1977
‘Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? They die, yet without wisdom.’

Legacy Standard Bible
Is not their tent-cord pulled up within them? They die, yet without wisdom.’

Amplified Bible
‘Is not their tent-cord drawn up within them [so that the tent collapses]? Do they not die, and yet without [acquiring] wisdom?’

Christian Standard Bible
Are their tent cords not pulled up? They die without wisdom.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Are their tent cords not pulled up? They die without wisdom.

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

Contemporary English Version
Your tent pegs are pulled up, and you leave this life, having gained no wisdom."

English Revised Version
Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? they die, and that without wisdom.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Haven't the ropes of their tent been loosened? Won't they die without wisdom?

Good News Translation
All that we have is taken away; we die, still lacking wisdom."

International Standard Version
Their wealth perishes with them, doesn't it? They die, and do so without having wisdom, don't they?"

Majority Standard Bible
Are not their tent cords pulled up, so that they die without wisdom??

NET Bible
Is not their excess wealth taken away from them? They die, yet without attaining wisdom.

New Heart English Bible
Isn't their tent cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.'

Webster's Bible Translation
Doth not their excellence which is in them depart? they die, even without wisdom.

World English Bible
Isn’t their tent cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Has their excellence not been removed with them? They die, and not in wisdom!”

Young's Literal Translation
Hath not their excellency been removed with them? They die, and not in wisdom!

Smith's Literal Translation
Did not their remainder in them remove? They will die, and not in wisdom.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they that shall be left, shall be taken away from them: they shall die, and not in wisdom.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But those who are left behind will be taken away from them; they will die, and not in wisdom.

New American Bible
The pegs of their tent are plucked up; they die without knowing wisdom.”

New Revised Standard Version
Their tent-cord is plucked up within them, and they die devoid of wisdom.’
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Behold, their possessions are taken away from them; and the rest of them shall die without wisdom.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Behold, he takes up their property from them, and their remnants among them will die, and not in wisdom.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For he blows upon them, and they are withered: they have perished for lack of wisdom.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Eliphaz: The Innocent Prosper
20They are smashed to pieces from dawn to dusk; unnoticed, they perish forever. 21Are not their tent cords pulled up, so that they die without wisdom?’

Cross References
Psalm 39:5-6
You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath. Selah / Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.

Psalm 90:5-6
You sweep them away in their sleep; they are like the new grass of the morning— / in the morning it springs up new, but by evening it fades and withers.

Psalm 103:15-16
As for man, his days are like grass—he blooms like a flower of the field; / when the wind passes over, it vanishes, and its place remembers it no more.

Isaiah 40:6-8
A voice says, “Cry out!” And I asked, “What should I cry out?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field. / The grass withers and the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass. / The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”

James 4:14
You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

1 Peter 1:24
For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,

Ecclesiastes 12:7
before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

2 Corinthians 5:1
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

Psalm 146:4
When his spirit departs, he returns to the ground; on that very day his plans perish.

Isaiah 2:22
Put no more trust in man, who has only the breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?

1 Corinthians 15:42-44
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead: What is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable. / It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. / It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

2 Peter 3:10
But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.

Matthew 6:19-20
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. / But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Luke 12:20
But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be required of you. Then who will own what you have accumulated?’

Hebrews 9:27
Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,


Treasury of Scripture

Does not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.

excellency.

Psalm 39:5,11
Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah…

Psalm 49:14
Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.

Psalm 146:3,4
Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help…

die.

Job 36:12
But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.

Psalm 49:20
Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

Isaiah 2:22
Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?

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Cord Cords Depart Die End Excellence Excellency Plucked Pulled Removed Tent Torn Wisdom Within
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Cord Cords Depart Die End Excellence Excellency Plucked Pulled Removed Tent Torn Wisdom Within
Job 4
1. Eliphaz reproves Job that the innocent do not suffer
7. He teaches God's judgments to be not for the righteous, but for the wicked.
12. His fearful vision to humble the excellency of creatures before God.














Are not
This phrase introduces a rhetorical question, a common literary device in Hebrew poetry, which is used to provoke thought and reflection. The use of rhetorical questions in the Book of Job often serves to challenge the listener or reader to consider deeper truths about human existence and divine justice. In this context, it suggests an assumed agreement or understanding about the transient nature of life.

their tent cords
The imagery of "tent cords" is deeply rooted in the nomadic lifestyle of ancient Near Eastern cultures, including the Israelites. Tents were temporary dwellings, and the cords were essential for stability. The metaphor of tent cords being pulled up signifies the sudden and inevitable end of life. This imagery reflects the transient and fragile nature of human existence, reminding us that life on earth is temporary and that our true home is with God.

pulled up
The action of pulling up tent cords signifies dismantling or uprooting, which in this context symbolizes death. In the Hebrew tradition, life is often compared to a journey or a sojourn, and the act of pulling up tent cords marks the end of this journey. This phrase emphasizes the suddenness and finality of death, urging the reader to live with an awareness of life's brevity and the importance of seeking wisdom and understanding during our earthly existence.

so that they die
This phrase underscores the inevitable outcome of life—death. In the context of the Book of Job, it serves as a reminder of human mortality and the limits of human understanding. The inevitability of death is a central theme in Job, prompting reflection on the meaning of life, suffering, and the pursuit of wisdom. It challenges believers to trust in God's sovereignty and to seek His wisdom, which transcends human understanding.

without wisdom
The concept of dying "without wisdom" is a poignant conclusion to this verse. In the Hebrew tradition, wisdom is highly valued and is often associated with the fear of the Lord and living a righteous life. To die without wisdom implies a life not fully lived in accordance with God's will or understanding. This serves as a cautionary note, encouraging believers to pursue wisdom, which is found in a relationship with God and in living according to His commandments. It highlights the importance of spiritual preparedness and the pursuit of divine wisdom as the ultimate goal of life.

Verse 21. - Doth not their excellency which is in them go away! "Their excellency" (יתרם) would seem to mean that which is highest in them - their spirit, or soul. It does not make much difference if we translate, with the Old Testament Revisers" their tent-cord," since that would be merely a metaphor for the soul, which sustains the body as the tent-cord does the tent. What deserves especial remark is that the "excellency" does not perish; it goes away, departs, or is removed. They die, even without wisdom; literally, not in wisdom; i.e. not having learnt in the whole course of their lives that true wisdom which their life-trials were intended to teach them.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Are not their tent cords
יִתְרָ֣ם (yiṯ·rām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3499: An overhanging, an excess, superiority, remainder, a small rope

pulled up,
נִסַּ֣ע (nis·sa‘)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5265: To pull up, the tent-pins, start on a, journey

so that they die
יָ֝מ֗וּתוּ (yā·mū·ṯū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

without
וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

wisdom?’
בְחָכְמָֽה׃ (ḇə·ḥā·ḵə·māh)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2451: Wisdom


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OT Poetry: Job 4:21 Isn't their tent cord plucked up within (Jb)
Job 4:20
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