“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

“Call now; is there any who will answer you?
    To which of the holy ones will you turn?
For resentment kills the foolish man,
    and jealousy kills the simple.
I have seen the foolish taking root,
    but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
His children are far from safety.
    They are crushed in the gate.
    Neither is there any to deliver them,
whose harvest the hungry eat up,
    and take it even out of the thorns.
    The snare gapes for their substance.
For affliction doesn’t come out of the dust,
    neither does trouble spring out of the ground;
but man is born to trouble,
    as the sparks fly upward.

“But as for me, I would seek God.
    I would commit my cause to God,
who does great things that can’t be fathomed,
    marvelous things without number;
10 who gives rain on the earth,
    and sends waters on the fields;
11 so that he sets up on high those who are low,
    those who mourn are exalted to safety.
12 He frustrates the plans of the crafty,
    so that their hands can’t perform their enterprise.
13 He takes the wise in their own craftiness;
    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 saves from the sword of their mouth,
    even the needy from the hand of the mighty.
16 So the poor has 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 wounds and binds up.
    He injures and his hands make whole.
19 He will deliver you in six troubles;
    yes, in seven no evil will touch you.
20 In famine he will redeem you from death;
    in war, from the power of the sword.
21 You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
    neither will you be afraid of destruction when it comes.
22 You will laugh at destruction and famine,
    neither will you be afraid of the animals of the earth.
23 For you will be allied with the stones of the field.
    The animals of the field will be at peace with you.
24 You will know that your tent is in peace.
    You will visit your fold, and will miss nothing.
25 You will know also that your offspring[a] will be great,
    your offspring as the grass of the earth.
26 You will come to your grave in a full age,
    like a shock of grain comes in its season.
27 Behold, we have researched it. It is so.
    Hear it, and know it for your good.”

Footnotes

  1. 5:25 or, seed

Eliphaz: Job Is Chastened by God

“Call out now;
Is there anyone who will answer you?
And to which of the holy ones will you turn?
For wrath kills a foolish man,
And envy slays a simple one.
(A)I have seen the foolish taking root,
But suddenly I cursed his dwelling place.
His sons are (B)far from safety,
They are crushed in the gate,
And (C)there is no deliverer.
Because the hungry eat up his harvest,
[a]Taking it even from the thorns,
[b]And a snare snatches their [c]substance.
For affliction does not come from the dust,
Nor does trouble spring from the ground;
Yet man is (D)born to [d]trouble,
As the sparks fly upward.

“But as for me, I would seek God,
And to God I would commit my cause—
Who does great things, and unsearchable,
Marvelous things without number.
10 (E)He gives rain on the earth,
And sends waters on the fields.
11 (F)He sets on high those who are lowly,
And those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 (G)He frustrates the devices of the crafty,
So that their hands cannot carry out their plans.
13 He catches the (H)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 (I)He saves the needy from the sword,
From the mouth of the mighty,
And from their hand.
16 (J)So the poor have hope,
And injustice shuts her mouth.

17 “Behold,(K) happy is the man whom God corrects;
Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.
18 (L)For He bruises, but He binds up;
He wounds, but His hands make whole.
19 (M)He shall deliver you in six troubles,
Yes, in seven (N)no evil shall touch you.
20 (O)In famine He shall redeem you from death,
And in war from the [e]power of the sword.
21 (P)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 (Q)you shall not be afraid of the (R)beasts of the earth.
23 (S)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 (T)your descendants shall be many,
And your offspring (U)like the grass of the earth.
26 (V)You shall come to the grave at a full age,
As a sheaf of grain ripens in its season.
27 Behold, this we have (W)searched out;
It is true.
Hear it, and know for yourself.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 5:5 LXX They shall not be taken from evil men; Vg. And the armed man shall take him by violence
  2. Job 5:5 LXX The might shall draw them off; Vg. And the thirsty shall drink up their riches
  3. Job 5:5 wealth
  4. Job 5:7 labor
  5. Job 5:20 Lit. hand

»Llama, si quieres, pero ¿habrá quien te responda?
    ¿A cuál de los dioses[a] te dirigirás?
El resentimiento mata a los necios;
    la envidia mata a los insensatos.
Yo mismo he visto al necio echar raíces,
    pero de pronto su casa fue maldecida.[b]
Sus hijos distan mucho de estar a salvo;
    en el tribunal son oprimidos, y nadie los defiende.
Los hambrientos se comen su cosecha,
    y la recogen de entre las espinas;
    los sedientos se beben sus riquezas.
Y, aunque las penas no brotan del suelo,
    ni los sufrimientos provienen de la tierra,
con todo, el hombre nace para sufrir,
    tan cierto como que las chispas vuelan.

»Si se tratara de mí, yo apelaría a Dios;
    ante él expondría mi caso.
Él realiza maravillas insondables,
    portentos que no pueden contarse.
10 Él derrama lluvia sobre la tierra
    y envía agua sobre los campos.
11 Él enaltece a los humildes
    y da seguridad a los enlutados.
12 Él deshace las maquinaciones de los astutos,
    para que no prospere la obra de sus manos.
13 Él atrapa a los astutos en su astucia,
    y desbarata los planes de los malvados.
14 De día estos se topan con las tinieblas;
    a plena luz andan a tientas, como si fuera de noche.
15 Pero a los menesterosos los salva
    de la opresión de los poderosos
    y de su lengua viperina.
16 Así es como los pobres recobran la esperanza,
    y a la injusticia se le tapa la boca.

17 »¡Qué feliz es el hombre a quien Dios corrige!
    No menosprecies la disciplina del Todopoderoso.
18 Porque él hiere, pero venda la herida;
    golpea, pero trae alivio.
19 De seis aflicciones te rescatará,
    y la séptima no te causará ningún daño.
20 Cuando haya hambre, te salvará de la muerte;
    cuando haya guerra, te librará de la espada.
21 Estarás a salvo del latigazo de la lengua,
    y no temerás cuando venga la destrucción.
22 Te burlarás de la destrucción y del hambre,
    y no temerás a las bestias salvajes,
23 pues harás un pacto con las piedras del campo
    y las bestias salvajes estarán en paz contigo.
24 Reconocerás tu casa como lugar seguro;
    contarás tu ganado, y ni un solo animal faltará.
25 Llegarás a tener muchos hijos,
    y descendientes como la hierba del campo.
26 Llegarás al sepulcro anciano pero vigoroso,
    como las gavillas que se recogen a tiempo.

27 »Esto lo hemos examinado, y es verdad.
    Así que escúchalo y compruébalo tú mismo».

Footnotes

  1. 5:1 dioses. Lit. santos.
  2. 5:3 fue maldecida. Lit. yo maldije.