Job 5
1 Roep maar: er is niemand, die u antwoord geeft; Tot wien van de heiligen wilt ge u wenden?
“Job, [it is okay that you] continue to cry out for someone to help you, but [I am certain that] [RHQ] no angel will come to help you!
2 Het is dus de wrevel, die den dwaas vermoordt, De gramschap doodt dus den zot.
Foolish people die because of being (resentful/very angry at someone); people who are easily deceived are destroyed by their being jealous [of others].
3 Ik heb den dwaas wel wortel zien schieten, Maar plotseling verrotte zijn akker;
I have seen foolish people who seemed to be successful/prosperous, but suddenly [they experienced disaster/trouble because] someone cursed their home.
4 Zijn kinderen werden van hulp verstoken, Reddeloos vertrapt in de poort;
Their sons are never safe; they (lose their case/are condemned) when someone (takes them to court/sues them), because there is no one to defend them.
5 Wat zij hebben geoogst, eet een hongerige op, En de dorstige rooft en drinkt de melk van hun kudde
Hungry people [steal] the crops that foolish people harvest, [and] eat [those crops]; they even steal the crops that grow among thorns, and greedy people take away the wealth of foolish people.
6 Want het kwaad schiet niet op uit het stof, En de rampspoed ontspruit uit de aarde niet:
But evil circumstances/sufferings are not produced by the soil; troubles do not grow up from the ground.
7 Maar het is de mens, die zichzelf de rampspoed verwekt, Zoals de vonken naar boven spatten!
People have troubles from the time that they are born just as surely as sparks shoot up [from a fire].
8 Ik, ik wend mij tot God, En leg mijn zaak aan de Godheid voor:
[“If I were suffering like you are, ] I would ask God [for help] and tell him (what I am complaining about/about my suffering).
9 Hij, die grootse en ondoorgrondelijke dingen wrocht En ontelbare wonderen;
He does great things, things that we cannot understand; we cannot even count the marvelous things that he does.
10 Die regen over de aarde zendt, En water over de velden giet;
He sends rain on the ground; he sends water on our fields.
11 Die de nederigen op de hoogte verheft, En treurenden het hoogste geluk doet smaken.
He exalts those who are humble, and causes those who mourn to be joyful (OR, safe, prosperous).
12 Die de plannen der sluwen verijdelt, Zodat hun handen de ontwerpen niet ten uitvoer brengen;
He causes crafty/cunning people to not be able to do what they plan to do, with the result that they achieve nothing.
13 Die de wijzen vangt in hun eigen list, Zodat de toeleg der slimmen mislukt,
He causes people who [think that they] [IRO] are wise to be trapped by the cunning things they try to do, with the result that they do not succeed.
14 En midden op de dag zij op duisternis stuiten, En rondtasten op klaarlichte dag, zoals in de nacht;
[It is as though] even in the daytime they are covered by darkness, and grope around [trying to find the road] at noontime like people do at night.
15 Maar die de geplaagden redt uit hun hand, Den arme uit de greep van den sterke:
But God saves helpless people from being harmed by what [wicked people] say [MTY], he saves needy people from being injured by [MTY] powerful people.
16 Zodat er weer hoop voor den zwakke is, En het onrecht de mond sluit.
So, poor people confidently expect [that good things will happen to them] but God causes wicked [people] to stop talking.
17 Gelukkig, gij mens, dien God kastijdt: Versmaad dus de straf van den Almachtige niet!
“But those whom God corrects/rebukes are happy; so do not despise/dislike it when [God] who is all-powerful disciplines you.
18 Want Hij wondt, maar verbindt, Hij kwetst, maar zijn handen genezen.
He wounds people, but then he puts bandages on those wounds; he hurts people, but he [SYN] also heals them.
19 Uit zes noden zal Hij u redden, En in de zevende treft u geen kwaad:
He will rescue you many times from your troubles, with the result that nothing evil will happen to you.
20 In hongersnood redt Hij u van de dood, In de oorlog uit de greep van het zwaard;
When there is a famine, he will not allow you to die, and when there is a war, you will not be killed [MTY].
21 Gij zijt veilig voor de gesel der tong, Zonder vrees voor het dreigend geweld.
God will protect you when people slander [MTY] you; you will not be afraid when many things [around you] are destroyed.
22 Met geweld en gebrek zult ge lachen, Voor wilde beesten niet vrezen:
You will [be able to] laugh/scoff when things are destroyed and when there is famine, and you will not be afraid of wild animals.
23 Want ge hebt een verbond met de stenen op het veld, En het wild gedierte leeft in vriendschap met u
You will not worry about [having big] rocks in your fields [that will make plowing difficult], and you will not worry about [being attacked by] wild animals there.
24 Dan weet ge, dat uw tent in vrede is, Ge niets vermist, als ge uw woning doorzoekt;
In your tent, you will know that things will go well for you, and when you look at your livestock, you will see that (they are all there/none of them is missing).
25 Dan weet ge, dat uw nageslacht talrijk zal zijn, Uw spruiten als het gras op het veld.
You will be sure that you will have many descendants, who will be as numerous as blades of grass.
26 Eerst in uw ouderdom daalt ge ten grave, Zoals de schoof wordt binnengehaald, als het tijd is!
You will become very old before you die, like sheaves of grain continue to grow until it is time to harvest them.
27 Zie, dit hebben we nagespeurd, en zó is het; Luister er naar, en neem het ter harte!
[“My friends and I] have thought carefully about these things, and [we know that] they are true, so pay attention to what I have said!”
