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Anda, grita, a ver quién te responde,
¿a qué santo vas ahora a recurrir?
Al necio lo mata el despecho,
y al simple lo remata la envidia.
He visto a un necio echar raíces
y de pronto hundirse su morada,
a sus hijos metidos en problemas,
acosados en un juicio, sin defensa.
El hambriento devorará su cosecha
—Dios se la quitará de entre los dientes—
y el sediento beberá sus bienes.
Pues la desgracia no germina del polvo,
ni brota de la tierra el sufrimiento;
nace para el dolor el ser humano
como las chispas que se alzan volando.
Yo que tú apelaría a Dios,
confiaría a Dios mi causa.
Él hace prodigios misteriosos,
realiza maravillas sin cuento:
10 derrama lluvia sobre la tierra,
envía el agua a los campos;
11 pone a los humildes en lo alto,
en lugar seguro a los afligidos;
12 frustra los planes del astuto,
hace que fracasen sus intrigas;
13 enreda en su astucia a los sabios,
arruina los planes tortuosos;
14 en pleno día se topan con tinieblas,
van a tientas lo mismo que de noche.
15 Pero salva al pobre de lenguas afiladas,
lo libra de manos opresoras;
16 así el indigente vive con esperanza,
pues la maldad cierra su boca.
17 ¡Dichoso aquel a quien Dios corrige!
No rechaces la lección del Todopoderoso,
18 porque hiere, pero pone la venda,
golpea, pero él mismo cura.
19 Seis veces te salva de apuros
y a la séptima te evita los males;
20 no te dejará morir en plena carestía,
en plena refriega te librará de la espada;
21 te pondrá a salvo del azote de la lengua,
sin miedo a que se cierna el desastre.
22 Te reirás de carestías y desastres,
no tendrás miedo a las fieras salvajes;
23 pactarás con los espíritus del campo,
tendrás paz con las bestias salvajes;
24 disfrutarás de la paz de tu tienda,
verás prosperar tus propiedades;
25 conocerás una numerosa progenie,
nutrida como la hierba del campo;
26 bajarás a la tumba ya maduro,
como manojo de trigo en sazón.
27 Hemos comprobado que todo esto es cierto;
haz caso y aprende la lección.

Call now if there be any that will answer thee, and turn to some of the saints.

Anger indeed killeth the foolish, and envy slayeth the little one.

I have seen a fool with a strong root, and I cursed his beauty immediately.

His children shall be far from safety, and shall be destroyed in the gate, and there shall be none to deliver them.

Whose harvest the hungry shall eat, and the armed man shall take him by violence, and the thirsty shall drink up his riches.

Nothing upon earth is done without a voice cause, and sorrow doth not spring out of the ground.

Man is born to labour and the bird to fly.

Wherefore I will pray to the Lord, and address my speech to God:

Who doth great things and unsearchable and wonderful things without number:

10 Who giveth rain upon the face of the earth, and watereth all things with waters:

11 Who setteth up the humble on high, and comforteth with health those that mourn.

12 Who bringeth to nought the designs of the malignant, so that their hands cannot accomplish what they had begun:

13 Who catcheth the wise in their craftiness, and disappointeth the counsel of the wicked:

14 They shall meet with darkness in the day, and grope at noonday as in the night.

15 But he shall save the needy from the sword of their mouth, and the poor from the hand of the violent.

16 And to the needy there shall he hope, but iniquity shall draw in her mouth.

17 Blessed is the man whom God correcteth: refuse not therefore the chastising of the lord:

18 For he woundeth, and cureth: he striketh, and his hands shall heal.

19 In six troubles he shall deliver thee, and in the seventh, evil shall not touch thee.

20 In famine he shall deliver thee from death: and in battle, from the hand of the sword.

21 Thou shalt he hidden from the scourge of the tongue: and thou shalt not fear calamity when it cometh.

22 In destruction and famine then shalt laugh: and thou shalt not be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

23 But thou shalt have a covenant with the stones of the lands, and the beasts of the earth shall be at pence with thee.

24 And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle is in peace, and visiting thy beauty thou shalt not sin.

25 Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be multiplied, and thy offspring like the grass of the earth.

26 Thou shalt enter into the grave in abundance, as a heap of wheat is brought in its season.

27 Behold, this is even so, as we have searched out: which thou having heard, consider it thoroughly in thy mind.

Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?

For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.

I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.

His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.

Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.

Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;

Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:

Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:

10 Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields:

11 To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.

12 He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.

14 They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope in the noonday as in the night.

15 But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.

16 So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.

20 In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.

21 Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.

22 At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

23 For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

24 And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.

25 Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.

26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.

27 Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

“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? And to which of the holy [angels] will you turn?

For [a]vexation and rage kill the foolish man; jealousy and indignation slay the simple.

I have seen the foolish taking root [and outwardly prospering], but suddenly I saw that his dwelling was cursed [for his doom was certain].

His children are far from safety; [involved in their father’s ruin] they are crushed in the [court of justice in the city’s] gate, and there is no one to deliver them.

His harvest the hungry eat and take it even [when it grows] among the thorns; the snare opens for [his] wealth.

For affliction comes not forth from the dust, neither does trouble spring forth out of the ground.

But man is born to trouble as the sparks and the flames fly upward.

As for me, I would seek God and inquire of and require Him, and to God would I commit my cause—

Who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number,

10 Who gives rain upon the earth and sends waters upon the fields,

11 So that He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn He lifts to safety.

12 He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise or anything of [lasting] worth.

13 He catches the [so-called] wise in their own trickiness, and the counsel of the schemers is brought to a quick end.(A)

14 In the daytime they meet in darkness, and at noon they grope as in the night.

15 But [God] saves [the fatherless] from the sword of their mouth, and the needy from the hand of the mighty.

16 So the poor have hope, and iniquity shuts her mouth.

17 Happy and fortunate is the man whom God reproves; so do not despise or reject the correction of the Almighty [subjecting you to trial and suffering].

18 For He wounds, but He binds up; He smites, but His hands heal.

19 He will rescue you in six troubles; in seven nothing that is evil [for you] will touch you.

20 In famine He will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.

21 You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, neither shall you be afraid of destruction when it comes.

22 At destruction and famine you shall laugh, neither shall you be afraid of the living creatures 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 And you shall know that your tent shall be in peace, and you shall visit your fold and your dwelling and miss nothing [from them].

25 You shall know also that your children shall be many, and your offspring as the grass of the earth.

26 You shall come to your grave in ripe old age, and as a shock of grain goes up [to the threshing floor] in its season.

27 This is what we have searched out; it is true. Hear and heed it and know for yourself [for your good].

Footnotes

  1. Job 5:2 This was written many centuries ago, but physicians and psychiatrists today are continually emphasizing the importance of recognizing the principle it lays down if one would avoid being among the constantly increasing number of the mentally ill and those killed by avoidable illnesses.