< Job 5 >

1 Give now a cry for help; is there anyone who will give you an answer? and to which of the holy ones will you make your prayer?
Call, I pray thee! Is there any that answereth thee? and to which of the holy ones wilt thou turn?
2 For wrath is the cause of death to the foolish, and he who has no wisdom comes to his end through passion.
For vexation killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the simple.
3 I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly the curse came on his house.
I myself saw the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
4 Now his children have no safe place, and they are crushed before the judges, for no one takes up their cause.
His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, and there is no deliverer:
5 Their produce is taken by him who has no food, and their grain goes to the poor, and he who is in need of water gets it from their spring.
Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh even out of the thorns; and the snare gapeth for his substance.
6 For evil does not come out of the dust, or trouble out of the earth;
For evil cometh not forth from the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;
7 But trouble is man's fate from birth, as the flames go up from the fire.
For man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upwards.
8 But as for me, I would make my prayer to God, and I would put my cause before him:
But as for me I will seek unto God, and unto God commit my cause;
9 Who does great things outside our knowledge, wonders without number:
Who doeth great things and unsearchable, marvellous things without number;
10 Who gives rain on the earth, and sends water on the fields:
Who giveth rain on the face of the earth, and sendeth waters on the face of the fields;
11 Lifting up those who are low, and putting the sad in a safe place;
Setting up on high those that are low; and mourners are exalted to prosperity.
12 Who makes the designs of the wise go wrong, so that they are unable to give effect to their purposes.
He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, and their hands carry not out the enterprise.
13 He takes the wise in their secret designs, and the purposes of the twisted are cut off suddenly.
He taketh the wise in their own craftiness; and the counsel of the wily is carried headlong:
14 In the daytime it becomes dark for them, and in the sunlight they go feeling about as if it was night.
They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope at midday as in the night.
15 But he keeps safe from their sword those who have no father, and the poor from the power of the strong.
And he saveth the needy from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.
16 So the poor man has hope, and the mouth of the evil-doer is stopped.
So the poor hath what he hopeth for, and unrighteousness stoppeth her mouth.
17 Truly, that man is happy who has training from the hand of God: so do not let your heart be shut to the teaching of the Ruler of all.
Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth; therefore despise not the chastening of the Almighty.
18 For after his punishment he gives comfort, and after wounding, his hands make you well.
For he maketh sore, and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole.
19 He will keep you safe from six troubles, and in seven no evil will come near you.
He will deliver thee in six troubles, and in seven there shall no evil touch thee.
20 When there is need of food he will keep you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.
In famine he will redeem thee from death, and in war from the power of the sword.
21 He will keep you safe from the evil tongue; and you will have no fear of wasting when it comes.
Thou shalt be hidden from the scourge of the tongue; and thou shalt not be afraid of destruction when it cometh.
22 You will make sport of destruction and need, and will have no fear of the beasts of the earth.
At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh, and of the beasts of the earth thou shalt not be afraid.
23 For you will be in agreement with the stones of the earth, and the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.
For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.
24 And you will be certain that your tent is at peace, and after looking over your property you will see that nothing is gone.
And thou shalt know that thy tent is in peace; and thou wilt survey thy fold, and miss nothing.
25 You will be certain that your seed will be great, and your offspring like the plants of the earth.
And thou shalt know that thy seed is numerous, and thine offspring as the herb of the earth.
26 You will come to your last resting-place in full strength, as the grain is taken up to the crushing-floor in its time.
Thou shalt come to the grave in a ripe age, as a shock of corn is brought in in its season.
27 See, we have made search with care, and it is so; it has come to our ears; see that you take note of it for yourself.
Behold this, we have searched it out, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thyself.

< Job 5 >