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

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

17 “Behold, (P)blessed is the one whom God reproves;
    therefore (Q)despise not the discipline of the (R)Almighty.
18 For he wounds, but he (S)binds up;
    he (T)shatters, but his hands heal.
19 He will (U)deliver you from six troubles;
    in seven no (V)evil[d] shall touch you.
20 (W)In famine he will redeem you from death,
    and in war from the power of the sword.
21 You shall be (X)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 (Y)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 (Z)tent is at peace,
    and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.
25 You shall know also that your (AA)offspring shall be many,
    and your descendants as (AB)the grass of the earth.
26 You shall come to your grave in (AC)ripe old age,
    like a sheaf gathered up in its season.
27 Behold, this we have (AD)searched out; it is true.
    Hear, and know it for your good.”[e]

Footnotes

  1. Job 5:5 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
  2. Job 5:5 Aquila, Symmachus, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew could be read as and the snare pants
  3. Job 5:5 Hebrew their
  4. Job 5:19 Or disaster
  5. Job 5:27 Hebrew for yourself

«Grida pure! C'è forse qualcuno che ti risponde? A chi tra i santi ti rivolgerai?

L'ira infatti uccide lo stolto, e la gelosia fa morire lo sciocco.

Ho visto lo stolto mettere radici, ma ben presto ho maledetto la sua dimora.

I suoi figli non hanno alcuna sicurezza, sono oppressi alla porta, e non c'è alcuno che li difenda.

L'affamato divora la sua messe, gliela porta via anche tra le spine, e un laccio ne divora i beni.

Poiché la malvagità non esce fuori dalla polvere, e la fatica non germoglia dalla terra;

ma l'uomo nasce per soffrire, come la favilla per volare in alto.

Io però cercherei Dio, e a Dio affiderei la mia causa,

a lui, che fa cose grandi e imperscrutabili meraviglie senza numero,

10 che dà la pioggia sulla terra e manda le acque sui campi

11 innalza gli umili e mette al sicuro in alto gli amitti.

12 Rende vani i disegni degli scaltri, e così le loro mani non possono eseguire i loro piani;

13 prende i savi nella loro astuzia, e il consiglio dei disonesti va presto in fumo.

14 Di giorno essi incappano nelle tenebre, in pieno mezzodí brancolano come di notte;

15 ma Dio salva il bisognoso dalla spada, dalla bocca dei potenti e dalle loro mani.

16 Cosí c'è speranza per il misero, ma l'ingiustizia chiude la sua bocca.

17 Ecco, beato l'uomo che Dio castiga perciò tu non disprezzare la correzione dell'Onnipotente;

18 poiche egli fa la piaga, ma poi la fascia, ferisce, ma le sue mani guariscono.

19 In sei sventure egli ti libererà, sí, in sette il male non ti toccherà.

20 In tempo di carestia ti scamperà dalla morte, in tempo di guerra dalla forza della spada.

21 Sarai sottratto al flagello della lingua, non temerai quando verrà la distruzione.

22 Riderai della distruzione e della carestia, e non avrai paura delle belve della terra;

23 poiché avrai un patto con le pietre del suolo, e le bestie dei campi saranno in pace con te.

24 Saprai che la tua tenda è al sicuro; visiterai i tuoi pascoli e troverai che nulla manca.

25 Ti renderai conto che i tuoi discendenti sono numerosi, e i tuoi rampoli come l'erba dei campi.

26 Scenderai nella tomba in età avanzata, come nella sua stagione si raduna un mucchio di covoni.

27 Ecco ciò che abbiamo trovato; è cosí. Ascoltalo e fanne profitto».