Job 5

1 But call, if any one will listen to you, or if you shall see any of the holy angels.

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?

2 For wrath destroys the foolish one, and envy slays him that has gone astray.

For wrath is the cause of death to the foolish, and he who has no wisdom comes to his end through passion.

3 And I have seen foolish ones taking root: but suddenly their habitation was devoured.

I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly the curse came on his house.

4 Let their children be far from safety, and let them be crushed at the doors of vile men, and let there be no deliverer.

Now his children have no safe place, and they are crushed before the judges, for no one takes up their cause.

5 For what they have collected, the just shall eat; but they shall not be delivered out of calamities: let their strength be utterly exhausted.

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.

6 For labour can’t by any means come out of the earth, nor shall trouble spring out of the mountains:

For evil does not come out of the dust, or trouble out of the earth;

7 yet man is born to labour, and [even so] the vulture's young seek the high places.

But trouble is man's fate from birth, as the flames go up from the fire.

8 Nevertheless I will beseech the Lord, and will call upon the Lord, the sovereign of all;

But as for me, I would make my prayer to God, and I would put my cause before him:

9 who does great things and untraceable, glorious things also, and marvellous, of which there is no number:

Who does great things outside our knowledge, wonders without number:

10 who gives rain upon the earth, sending water on the earth:

Who gives rain on the earth, and sends water on the fields:

11 who exalts the lowly, and raises up them that are lost:

Lifting up those who are low, and putting the sad in a safe place;

12 frustrating the counsels of the crafty, and their hands shall not perform the truth:

Who makes the designs of the wise go wrong, so that they are unable to give effect to their purposes.

13 who takes the wise in their wisdom, and subverts the counsel of the crafty

He takes the wise in their secret designs, and the purposes of the twisted are cut off suddenly.

14 In the day darkness shall come upon them, and let them grope in the noon-day even as in the night:

In the daytime it becomes dark for them, and in the sunlight they go feeling about as if it was night.

15 and let them perish in war, and let the weak escape from the hand of the mighty.

But he keeps safe from their sword those who have no father, and the poor from the power of the strong.

16 And let the weak have hope, but the mouth of the unjust be stopped.

So the poor man has hope, and the mouth of the evil-doer is stopped.

17 But blessed [is] the man whom the Lord has reproved; and reject not you the chastening of the Almighty.

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.

18 for he causes [a man] to be in pain, and restores [him] again: he smites, and his hands heal.

For after his punishment he gives comfort, and after wounding, his hands make you well.

19 Six time he shall deliver you out of distresses: and in the seventh harm shall not touch you.

He will keep you safe from six troubles, and in seven no evil will come near you.

20 In famine he shall deliver you from death: and in war he shall free you from the power of the sword.

When there is need of food he will keep you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.

21 He shall hide you from the scourge of the tongue: and you shall not be afraid of coming evils.

He will keep you safe from the evil tongue; and you will have no fear of wasting when it comes.

22 You shall laugh at the unrighteous and the lawless: and you shall not be afraid of wild beasts.

You will make sport of destruction and need, and will have no fear of the beasts of the earth.

23 For the wild beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.

For you will be in agreement with the stones of the earth, and the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.

24 Then shall you know that your house shall be at peace, and the provision for your tabernacle shall not fail.

And you will be certain that your tent is at peace, and after looking over your property you will see that nothing is gone.

25 And you shall know that your seed [shall be] abundant; and your children shall be like the herbage of the field.

You will be certain that your seed will be great, and your offspring like the plants of the earth.

26 And you shall come to the grave like ripe corn reaped in its season, or as a heap of the corn-flour collected in proper time.

You will come to your last resting-place in full strength, as the grain is taken up to the crushing-floor in its time.

27 Behold, we have thus sought out these matters; these are what we have heard: but do you reflect with yourself, if you have done anything [wrong].

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.