5¹ "Call out now; Is there anyone who will answer you? And to which of the holy ones will you turn? ² For wrath kills a foolish man, And envy slays a simple one. ³ I have seen the foolish taking root, But suddenly I cursed his dwelling place. ⁴ His sons are far from safety, They are crushed in the gate, And there is no deliverer. ⁵ Because the hungry eat up his harvest, Taking it even from the thorns, And a snare snatches their substance.

⁶ For affliction does not come from the dust, Nor does trouble spring from the ground; ⁷ Yet man is born to trouble, As the sparks fly upward. ⁸ "But as for me, I would seek God, And to God I would commit my cause-- ⁹ Who does great things, and unsearchable, Marvelous things without number. ¹⁰ He gives rain on the earth, And sends waters on the fields. ¹¹ He sets on high those who are lowly, And those who mourn are lifted to safety. ¹² He frustrates the devices of the crafty, So that their hands cannot carry out their plans. ¹³ He catches the wise in their own craftiness, And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them. ¹⁴ They meet with darkness in the daytime, And grope at noontime as in the night. ¹⁵ But He saves the needy from the sword, From the mouth of the mighty, And from their hand. ¹⁶ So the poor have 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 bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole. ¹⁹ He shall deliver you in six troubles, Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you. ²⁰ In famine He shall redeem you from death, And in war from the power of the sword. ²¹ You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes. ²² You shall laugh at destruction and famine, And you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth. ²³ For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field, And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you. ²⁴ You shall know that your tent is in peace; You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss. ²⁵ You shall also know that your descendants shall be many, And your offspring like the grass of the earth. ²⁶ You shall come to the grave at a full age, As a sheaf of grain ripens in its season. ²⁷ Behold, this we have searched out; It is true. Hear it, and know for yourself."

5¹ Pray, call, is there any to answer thee? And unto which of the holy ones dost thou turn? ² For provocation slayeth the perverse, And envy putteth to death the simple, ³ I—I have seen the perverse taking root, And I mark his habitation straightway, ⁴ Far are his sons from safety, And they are bruised in the gate, And there is no deliverer. ⁵ Whose harvest the hungry doth eat, And even from the thorns taketh it, And the designing swallowed their wealth.

⁶ For sorrow cometh not forth from the dust, Nor from the ground springeth up misery. ⁷ For man to misery is born, And the sparks go high to fly. ⁸ Yet I—I inquire for God, And for God I give my word, ⁹ Doing great things, and there is no searching. Wonderful, till there is no numbering. ¹⁰ Who is giving rain on the face of the land, And is sending waters on the out-places. ¹¹ To set the low on a high place, And the mourners have been high 'in' safety. ¹² Making void thoughts of the subtile, And their hands do not execute wisdom. ¹³ Capturing the wise in their subtilty, And the counsel of wrestling ones was hastened, ¹⁴ By day they meet darkness, And as night—they grope at noon. ¹⁵ And He saveth the wasted from their mouth, And from a strong hand the needy, ¹⁶ And there is hope to the poor, And perverseness hath shut her mouth.

¹⁷ Lo, the happiness of mortal man, God doth reprove him: And the chastisement of the Mighty despise not, ¹⁸ For He doth pain, and He bindeth up, He smiteth, and His hands heal. ¹⁹ In six distresses He delivereth thee, And in seven evil striketh not on thee. ²⁰ In famine He hath redeemed thee from death, And in battle from the hands of the sword. ²¹ When the tongue scourgeth thou art hid, And thou art not afraid of destruction, When it cometh. ²² At destruction and at hunger thou mockest, And of the beast of the earth, Thou art not afraid. ²³ (For with sons of the field 'is' thy covenant, And the beast of the field Hath been at peace with thee.) ²⁴ And thou hast known that thy tent 'is' peace, And inspected thy habitation, and errest not, ²⁵ And hast known that numerous 'is' Thy seed, And thine offspring as the herb of the earth; ²⁶ Thou comest in full age unto the grave, As the going up of a stalk in its season. ²⁷ Lo, this—we searched it out—it 'is' right, hearken; And thou, know for thyself!

5¹ Call now; is there any that will answer thee? And to which of the holy ones wilt thou turn? ² For vexation killeth the foolish man, And jealousy slayeth the silly one. ³ I have seen the foolish taking root: But suddenly I cursed his habitation. ⁴ His children are far from safety, And they are crushed in the gate, Neither is there any to deliver them: ⁵ Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, And taketh it even out of the thorns; And the snare gapeth for their substance.

⁶ For affliction cometh not forth from the dust, Neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; ⁷ But man is born unto trouble, As the sparks fly upward. ⁸ But as for me, I would seek unto God, And unto God would I commit my cause; ⁹ Who doeth great things and unsearchable, Marvellous things without number: ¹⁰ Who giveth rain upon the earth, And sendeth waters upon the fields; ¹¹ So that he setteth up on high those that are low, And those that mourn are exalted to safety. ¹² He frustrateth the devices of the crafty, So that their hands cannot perform their enterprise. ¹³ He taketh the wise in their own craftiness; And 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 saveth from the sword of their mouth, Even the needy from the hand of the mighty. ¹⁶ So the poor hath hope, And iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

¹⁷ Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty. ¹⁸ For he maketh sore, and bindeth up; He woundeth, and his hands make whole. ¹⁹ He will deliver thee in six troubles; Yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. ²⁰ In famine he will redeem thee from death; And in war from the power of the sword. ²¹ Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue; Neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh. ²² At destruction and dearth thou shalt laugh; Neither shalt thou be afraid of 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. ²⁴ And thou shalt know that thy tent is in peace; And thou shalt visit thy fold, and shalt miss nothing. ²⁵ Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, And thine offspring as the grass of the earth. ²⁶ Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, Like as a shock of grain cometh in in its season. ²⁷ Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; Hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

5¹ "Call now; is there anyone who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn? ² Surely vexation kills the fool, and jealousy slays the simple. ³ I have seen the fool taking root, but suddenly I cursed his dwelling. ⁴ His children are far from safety; they are crushed in the gate, and there is no one to deliver them. ⁵ The hungry eat his harvest, and he takes it even out of thorns,[1] and the thirsty pant[2] after his[3] wealth.

⁶ For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble sprout from the ground, ⁷ but man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward. ⁸ "As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause, ⁹ who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number: ¹⁰ he gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields; ¹¹ he sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety. ¹² He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success. ¹³ He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end. ¹⁴ They meet with darkness in the daytime and grope at noonday as in the night. ¹⁵ But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth and from the hand of the mighty. ¹⁶ So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts her mouth.

¹⁷ "Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. ¹⁸ For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal. ¹⁹ He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no evil[4] shall touch you. ²⁰ In famine he will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. ²¹ You shall be hidden from the lash of the tongue, and shall not fear destruction when it comes. ²² At destruction and famine you shall laugh, and shall not fear the beasts of the earth. ²³ For you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you. ²⁴ You shall know that your tent is at peace, and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing. ²⁵ You shall know also that your offspring shall be many, and your descendants as the grass of the earth. ²⁶ You shall come to your grave in ripe old age, like a sheaf gathered up in its season. ²⁷ Behold, this we have searched out; it is true. Hear, and know it for your good."[5]