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Call out, Job. See if anyone answers.

    Is there any angel to whom you can turn?
To worry yourself to death with resentment
    would be a foolish, senseless thing to do.
I have seen fools who looked secure,
    but I called down a sudden curse on their homes.
Their children can never find safety;
    no one stands up to defend them in court.
Hungry people will eat the fool's crops—
    even the grain growing among thorns[a]
    and thirsty people will envy his wealth.
Evil does not grow in the soil,
    nor does trouble grow out of the ground.
No indeed! We bring trouble on ourselves,
    as surely as sparks fly up from a fire.[b]

If I were you, I would turn to God
    and present my case to him.
(A)We cannot understand the great things he does,
    and to his miracles there is no end.
10 He sends rain on the land
    and he waters the fields.
11 Yes, it is God who raises the humble
    and gives joy to all who mourn.
12-13 (B)He upsets the plans of cunning people,
    and traps the wise in their own schemes,
    so that nothing they do succeeds;
14     even at noon they grope in darkness.
15 But God saves the poor[c] from death;
    he saves the needy from oppression.
16 He gives hope to the poor and silences the wicked.

17 (C)Happy is the person whom God corrects!
    Do not resent it when he rebukes you.
18 (D)God bandages the wounds he makes;
    his hand hurts you, and his hand heals.
19 Time after time he will save you from harm;
20     when famine comes, he will keep you alive,
    and in war protect you from death.
21 God will rescue you from slander;
    he will save you when destruction comes.
22 You will laugh at violence and hunger
    and not be afraid of wild animals.
23 The fields you plow will be free of rocks;
    wild animals will never attack you.
24 Then you will live at peace in your tent;
    when you look at your sheep, you will find them safe.
25 You will have as many children
    as there are blades of grass in a pasture.
26 Like wheat that ripens till harvest time,
    you will live to a ripe old age.
27 Job, we have learned this by long study.
    It is true, so now accept it.

Footnotes

  1. Job 5:5 Probable text even … thorns; Hebrew unclear.
  2. Job 5:7 sparks fly up from a fire; or birds fly up to the sky.
  3. Job 5:15 Probable text poor; Hebrew unclear.

Job Is Corrected by God

“Call now; is there anyone who will answer you?
To which of the holy ones will you turn?(A)
Surely vexation kills the fool,
    and jealousy slays the simple.(B)
I have seen fools taking root,
    but suddenly I cursed their dwelling.(C)
Their children are far from safety,
    they are crushed in the gate,
    and there is no one to deliver them.(D)
The hungry eat their harvest,
    and they take it even out of the thorns,[a]
    and the thirsty[b] pant after their wealth.(E)
For misery does not come from the earth,
    nor does trouble sprout from the ground,
but humans are born to trouble
    just as sparks[c] fly upward.(F)

“As for me, I would seek God,
    and to God I would commit my cause.(G)
He does great things and unsearchable,
    marvelous things without number.(H)
10 He gives rain on the earth
    and sends waters on the fields;(I)
11 he sets on high those who are lowly,
    and those who mourn are lifted to safety.(J)
12 He frustrates the devices of the crafty,
    so that their hands achieve no success.(K)
13 He takes 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.(L)
15 But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth,
    from the hand of the mighty.(M)
16 So the poor have hope,
    and injustice shuts its mouth.(N)

17 “How happy is the one whom God reproves;
    therefore do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.[d](O)
18 For he wounds, but he binds up;
    he strikes, but his hands heal.(P)
19 He will deliver you from six troubles;
    in seven no harm shall touch you.(Q)
20 In famine he will redeem you from death
    and in war from the power of the sword.(R)
21 You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue
    and shall not fear destruction when it comes.(S)
22 At destruction and famine you shall laugh
    and shall not fear the wild animals of the earth.(T)
23 For you shall be in league with the stones of the field,
    and the wild animals shall be at peace with you.(U)
24 You shall know that your tent is safe;
    you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.(V)
25 You shall know that your descendants will be many
    and your offspring like the grass of the earth.(W)
26 You shall come to your grave in ripe old age,
    as a shock of grain comes up to the threshing floor in its season.(X)
27 See, we have searched this out; it is true.
    Hear, and know it for yourself.”

Footnotes

  1. 5.5 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 5.5 Aquila Symmachus Syr Vg: Heb snare
  3. 5.7 Or birds; Heb sons of Resheph
  4. 5.17 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

“Call if you like, but will anyone answer?
To which of the holy ones will you turn?
For anger kills the fool,
and envy slays the silly.
I watch as a fool establishes roots,
but I curse his home with sudden [destruction] —
his children are far from help,
publicly humiliated, with no one to rescue;
the hungry eat up his harvest,
taking it even from among thorns,
while the thirsty are panting,
eager to swallow his wealth.
For misery does not come from the dust
or trouble spring from the ground.
No, people are born for trouble
as surely as sparks fly upward.

“If I were you, I would seek God;
I would make my plea to him.
For God does great deeds beyond investigation,
wonders beyond all reckoning.
10 He gives rain to the earth,
pours water down on the fields.
11 He raises the lowly on high
and lifts mourners to safety.
12 He frustrates the schemes of the cunning,
so that they achieve no success;
13 trapping the crafty in their own tricks
and foiling quickly the plans of the false.
14 They meet with darkness during the day,
groping at noon like at night.
15 But he saves the poor from the sword, their mouth,
and from the clutches of the strong;
16 so the poor can hope again;
and injustice shuts its mouth.

17 “How happy the person whom God corrects!
So don’t despise Shaddai’s discipline.
18 For he wounds, but he bandages the sore;
his hands may strike, but they also heal.
19 He will rescue you from six disasters;
yes, in seven no harm will touch you.
20 In famine, he will save you from death,
and in war, from the power of the sword.
21 You will be shielded from the lash of the tongue,
and you won’t have to fear destruction when it comes —
22 you’ll be able to laugh at destruction and famine.
Also you won’t have to fear wild animals,
23 for you will be in league with the stones in the field,
and the wild animals will be at peace with you.
24 You will know that your tent is safe;
you will look round your home and miss nothing.
25 You will know that your descendants are many,
your offspring like grass [growing thick] in the fields.
26 You will come to your grave at a ripe old age,
like a pile of grain that arrives in season.

27 “We’ve looked into this, and that’s how it is;
listen, and know that it’s for your own good.”