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“Call now; is there any who will answer you?
    To which of the holy ones will you turn?
For resentment kills the foolish man,
    and jealousy kills the simple.
I have seen the foolish taking root,
    but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
His children are far from safety.
    They are crushed in the gate.
    Neither is there any to deliver them,
whose harvest the hungry eats up,
    and take it even out of the thorns.
    The snare gapes for their substance.
For affliction doesn’t come out of the dust,
    neither does trouble spring out of the ground;
but man is born to trouble,
    as the sparks fly upward.

“But as for me, I would seek God.
    I would commit my cause to God,
who does great things that can’t be fathomed,
    marvelous things without number;
10 who gives rain on the earth,
    and sends waters on the fields;
11 so that he sets up on high those who are low,
    those who mourn are exalted to safety.
12 He frustrates the plans of the crafty,
    So that their hands can’t perform their enterprise.
13 He takes the wise in their own craftiness;
    the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.
14 They meet with darkness in the day time,
    and grope at noonday as in the night.
15 But he saves from the sword of their mouth,
    even the needy from the hand of the mighty.
16 So the poor has hope,
    and injustice shuts her mouth.

17 “Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects.
    Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.
18 For he wounds and binds up.
    He injures and his hands make whole.
19 He will deliver you in six troubles;
    yes, in seven no evil will touch you.
20 In famine he will redeem you from death;
    in war, from the power of the sword.
21 You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
    neither will you be afraid of destruction when it comes.
22 You will laugh at destruction and famine,
    neither will you be afraid of the animals of the earth.
23 For you will be allied with the stones of the field.
    The animals of the field will be at peace with you.
24 You will know that your tent is in peace.
    You will visit your fold, and will miss nothing.
25 You will know also that your offspring[a] will be great,
    Your offspring as the grass of the earth.
26 You will come to your grave in a full age,
    like a shock of grain comes in its season.
27 Look at this. We have searched it. It is so.
    Hear it, and know it for your good.”

Footnotes

  1. 5:25 or, seed

“Call if you will, but who will answer you?(A)
    To which of the holy ones(B) will you turn?
Resentment(C) kills a fool,
    and envy slays the simple.(D)
I myself have seen(E) a fool taking root,(F)
    but suddenly(G) his house was cursed.(H)
His children(I) are far from safety,(J)
    crushed in court(K) without a defender.(L)
The hungry consume his harvest,(M)
    taking it even from among thorns,
    and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
For hardship does not spring from the soil,
    nor does trouble sprout from the ground.(N)
Yet man is born to trouble(O)
    as surely as sparks fly upward.

“But if I were you, I would appeal to God;
    I would lay my cause before him.(P)
He performs wonders(Q) that cannot be fathomed,(R)
    miracles that cannot be counted.(S)
10 He provides rain for the earth;(T)
    he sends water on the countryside.(U)
11 The lowly he sets on high,(V)
    and those who mourn(W) are lifted(X) to safety.
12 He thwarts the plans(Y) of the crafty,
    so that their hands achieve no success.(Z)
13 He catches the wise(AA) in their craftiness,(AB)
    and the schemes of the wily are swept away.(AC)
14 Darkness(AD) comes upon them in the daytime;
    at noon they grope as in the night.(AE)
15 He saves the needy(AF) from the sword in their mouth;
    he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.(AG)
16 So the poor(AH) have hope,
    and injustice shuts its mouth.(AI)

17 “Blessed is the one whom God corrects;(AJ)
    so do not despise the discipline(AK) of the Almighty.[a](AL)
18 For he wounds, but he also binds up;(AM)
    he injures, but his hands also heal.(AN)
19 From six calamities he will rescue(AO) you;
    in seven no harm will touch you.(AP)
20 In famine(AQ) he will deliver you from death,
    and in battle from the stroke of the sword.(AR)
21 You will be protected from the lash of the tongue,(AS)
    and need not fear(AT) when destruction comes.(AU)
22 You will laugh(AV) at destruction and famine,(AW)
    and need not fear the wild animals.(AX)
23 For you will have a covenant(AY) with the stones(AZ) of the field,
    and the wild animals will be at peace with you.(BA)
24 You will know that your tent is secure;(BB)
    you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.(BC)
25 You will know that your children will be many,(BD)
    and your descendants like the grass of the earth.(BE)
26 You will come to the grave in full vigor,(BF)
    like sheaves gathered in season.(BG)

27 “We have examined this, and it is true.
    So hear it(BH) and apply it to yourself.”(BI)

Footnotes

  1. Job 5:17 Hebrew Shaddai; here and throughout Job