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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 out! Will anyone answer you?
Which of the holy ones(A) will you turn to?
For anger kills a fool,
and jealousy slays the gullible.(B)
I have seen a fool taking root,
but I immediately pronounced a curse on his home.
His children are far from safety.
They are crushed at the city gate,(C)
with no one to rescue them.
The hungry consume his harvest,
even taking it out of the thorns.[a]
The thirsty[b] pant for his children’s wealth.
For distress does not grow out of the soil,
and trouble does not sprout from the ground.
But humans are born for trouble(D)
as surely as sparks fly upward.

However, if I were you, I would appeal to God
and would present my case to him.(E)
He does great(F) and unsearchable things,
wonders without number.(G)
10 He gives rain to the earth
and sends water to the fields.(H)
11 He sets the lowly on high,
and mourners are lifted to safety.(I)
12 He frustrates the schemes of the crafty
so that they[c] achieve no success.
13 He traps the wise in their craftiness
so that the plans of the deceptive
are quickly brought to an end.(J)
14 They encounter darkness by day,
and they grope at noon
as if it were night.(K)
15 He saves the needy from their sharp words[d](L)
and from the clutches of the powerful.
16 So the poor have hope,
and injustice shuts its mouth.(M)
17 See how happy is the person whom God corrects;
so do not reject the discipline of the Almighty.
18 For he wounds but he also bandages;
he strikes, but his hands also heal.(N)
19 He will rescue you from six calamities;
no harm will touch you in seven.
20 In famine he will redeem you from death,
and in battle, from the power of the sword.(O)
21 You will be safe from slander[e]
and not fear destruction when it comes.(P)
22 You will laugh at destruction and hunger
and not fear the land’s wild creatures.
23 For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field,
and the wild animals will be at peace with you.(Q)
24 You will know that your tent is secure,(R)
and nothing will be missing when you inspect your home.
25 You will also know that your offspring will be many
and your descendants like the grass of the earth.
26 You will approach the grave(S) in full vigor,(T)
as a stack of sheaves is gathered in its season.

27 We have investigated this, and it is true!
Hear it and understand it for yourself.

Footnotes

  1. 5:5 Hb obscure
  2. 5:5 Aq, Sym, Syr, Vg; MT reads snares
  3. 5:12 Lit their hands
  4. 5:15 Lit from the sword of their mouth; Ps 55:21; 59:7
  5. 5:21 Lit be hidden from the whip of the tongue