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The Discipline of the Almighty

“Call now, is there anyone who will answer you?
And to which of the (A)holy ones will you turn?
For (B)vexation kills the ignorant fool,
And jealousy puts to death the simple.
I have seen the (C)ignorant fool taking root,
And I (D)cursed his abode suddenly.
His (E)sons are far from salvation,
They are even crushed in the gate,
And there is no deliverer.
[a]His harvest the hungry devour
And take it to a place of thorns,
And the [b](F)schemer pants after their wealth.
For (G)wickedness does not come out from the dust,
Nor does trouble sprout from the ground,
For (H)man is born for trouble,
As [c]sparks fly upward.

“But as for me, I would (I)seek God,
And I would set my cause before God,
Who (J)does great and unsearchable things,
[d]Wonders without number.
10 He (K)gives rain on the earth
And sends water on the fields outside,
11 So that (L)He sets on high those who are lowly,
And those who mourn are lifted to salvation.
12 He (M)frustrates the thoughts of the crafty,
So that their hands cannot attain success of sound wisdom.
13 He (N)catches the wise by their own craftiness,
And the counsel of the twisted is quickly thwarted.
14 By day they (O)meet with darkness
And grope at noon as in the night.
15 But He saves from (P)the sword of their mouth,
And (Q)the needy from the hand of the strong.
16 So the poor has hope,
And (R)unrighteousness must shut its mouth.

17 “Behold, how (S)blessed is the man whom God reproves,
So do not reject the (T)discipline of the [e]Almighty.
18 For (U)He inflicts pain and [f]gives relief;
He [g]wounds, and His hands also heal.
19 [h]From six distresses (V)He will deliver you,
Even in seven (W)evil will not touch you.
20 In (X)famine He will redeem you from death,
And (Y)in war from hands with swords.
21 You will be (Z)hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
(AA)And you will not be afraid of devastation when it comes.
22 You will (AB)laugh at devastation and starvation,
(AC)And you will not be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
23 For your covenant will be with the stones of the field,
And (AD)the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.
24 You will know that your (AE)tent is at peace,
For you will visit your abode and fear no loss.
25 You will know also that your (AF)seed will be many,
And (AG)your offspring as the vegetation of the land.
26 You will (AH)come to the grave in full vigor,
Like the stacking of grain in its season.
27 Behold this; we have investigated it, and so it is.
Hear it, and know for yourself.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 5:5 Lit Whose
  2. Job 5:5 Ancient versions thirsty
  3. Job 5:7 Or sons of Reseph
  4. Job 5:9 Or Miracles
  5. Job 5:17 Heb Shaddai, so in Job
  6. Job 5:18 Lit binds
  7. Job 5:18 Or crushes
  8. Job 5:19 Lit In

Pray, call, is there any to answer thee? And unto which of the holy ones dost thou turn?

For provocation slayeth the perverse, And envy putteth to death the simple,

I -- I have seen the perverse taking root, And I mark his habitation straightway,

Far are his sons from safety, And they are bruised in the gate, And there is no deliverer.

Whose harvest the hungry doth eat, And even from the thorns taketh it, And the designing swallowed their wealth.

For sorrow cometh not forth from the dust, Nor from the ground springeth up misery.

For man to misery is born, And the sparks go high to fly.

Yet I -- I inquire for God, And for God I give my word,

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!

“Call if you will, but who will answer you?(A)
    To which of the holy ones(B) will you turn?
Resentment(C) kills a fool,
    and envy slays the simple.(D)
I myself have seen(E) a fool taking root,(F)
    but suddenly(G) his house was cursed.(H)
His children(I) are far from safety,(J)
    crushed in court(K) without a defender.(L)
The hungry consume his harvest,(M)
    taking it even from among thorns,
    and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
For hardship does not spring from the soil,
    nor does trouble sprout from the ground.(N)
Yet man is born to trouble(O)
    as surely as sparks fly upward.

“But if I were you, I would appeal to God;
    I would lay my cause before him.(P)
He performs wonders(Q) that cannot be fathomed,(R)
    miracles that cannot be counted.(S)
10 He provides rain for the earth;(T)
    he sends water on the countryside.(U)
11 The lowly he sets on high,(V)
    and those who mourn(W) are lifted(X) to safety.
12 He thwarts the plans(Y) of the crafty,
    so that their hands achieve no success.(Z)
13 He catches the wise(AA) in their craftiness,(AB)
    and the schemes of the wily are swept away.(AC)
14 Darkness(AD) comes upon them in the daytime;
    at noon they grope as in the night.(AE)
15 He saves the needy(AF) from the sword in their mouth;
    he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.(AG)
16 So the poor(AH) have hope,
    and injustice shuts its mouth.(AI)

17 “Blessed is the one whom God corrects;(AJ)
    so do not despise the discipline(AK) of the Almighty.[a](AL)
18 For he wounds, but he also binds up;(AM)
    he injures, but his hands also heal.(AN)
19 From six calamities he will rescue(AO) you;
    in seven no harm will touch you.(AP)
20 In famine(AQ) he will deliver you from death,
    and in battle from the stroke of the sword.(AR)
21 You will be protected from the lash of the tongue,(AS)
    and need not fear(AT) when destruction comes.(AU)
22 You will laugh(AV) at destruction and famine,(AW)
    and need not fear the wild animals.(AX)
23 For you will have a covenant(AY) with the stones(AZ) of the field,
    and the wild animals will be at peace with you.(BA)
24 You will know that your tent is secure;(BB)
    you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.(BC)
25 You will know that your children will be many,(BD)
    and your descendants like the grass of the earth.(BE)
26 You will come to the grave in full vigor,(BF)
    like sheaves gathered in season.(BG)

27 “We have examined this, and it is true.
    So hear it(BH) and apply it to yourself.”(BI)

Footnotes

  1. Job 5:17 Hebrew Shaddai; here and throughout Job