< Job 5 >

1 Call now, if there is any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?
“Call out if you please, but who will answer? To which of the holy ones will you turn?
2 For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.
For resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.
3 I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
I have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed.
4 His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither [is there] any to deliver [them].
His sons are far from safety, crushed in court without a defender.
5 Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.
The hungry consume his harvest, taking it even from the thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
6 Although affliction cometh not forth from the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;
For distress does not spring from the dust, and trouble does not sprout from the ground.
7 Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.
Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.
8 I would seek to God, and to God would I commit my cause:
However, if I were you, I would appeal to God and lay my cause before Him—
9 Who doeth great things and unsearchable; wonderful things without number:
the One who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number.
10 Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields:
He gives rain to the earth and sends water upon the fields.
11 To set on high those that are low: that those who mourn may be exalted to safety.
He sets the lowly on high, so that mourners are lifted to safety.
12 He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform [their] enterprise.
He thwarts the schemes of the crafty, so that their hands find no success.
13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.
He catches the wise in their craftiness, and sweeps away the plans of the cunning.
14 They meet with darkness in the day-time, and grope in the noon-day as in the night.
They encounter darkness by day and grope at noon as in the night.
15 But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.
He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth and from the clutches of the powerful.
16 So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.
So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.
17 Behold, happy [is] the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:
Blessed indeed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.
For He wounds, but He also binds; He strikes, but His hands also heal.
19 He will deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.
He will rescue you from six calamities; no harm will touch you in seven.
20 In famine he will redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.
In famine He will redeem you from death, and in battle from the stroke of the sword.
21 Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.
You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and will not fear havoc when it comes.
22 At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
You will laugh at destruction and famine, and need not fear the beasts of the earth.
23 For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.
For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you.
24 And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle [will be] in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.
You will know that your tent is secure, and find nothing amiss when inspecting your home.
25 Thou shalt know also that thy seed [will be] great, and thy offspring as the grass of the earth.
You will know that your offspring will be many, your descendants like the grass of the earth.
26 Thou shalt come to [thy] grave in a full age, as a shock of corn cometh in in its season.
You will come to the grave in full vigor, like a sheaf of grain gathered in season.
27 Lo this, we have searched it, so it [is]; hear it, and know thou [it] for thy good.
Indeed, we have investigated, and it is true! So hear it and know for yourself.”

< Job 5 >