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“Call if you want to, Job, ·but no one [L is there anyone who…?] will answer you.
    ·You can’t [L Can you…?] turn to any of the holy ones [C angels].
·Anger [Irritation] kills the fool,
    and jealousy slays the ·stupid [or naïve; simpleminded; C these emotions can lead to death; Prov. 14:30; 27:4].
I have seen a fool ·succeed [L taking root],
    but I cursed his ·home [household; pasturage] ·immediately [suddenly].
His children are far from safety
    and are crushed in court with no ·defense [or rescuer].
The hungry eat his harvest,
    even taking what grew among the thorns,
    and thirsty people ·want [L pant after] his wealth.
·Hard times do [Misery does] not come up from the ·ground [dust],
    and trouble does not ·grow [sprout] from the earth [C they come from anger and jealousy].
People ·produce [L are born for] trouble
    as surely as sparks fly upward.

“But if I were you, I would ·call on [L seek] God
    and ·bring my problem [L commit my thoughts/cause] before him [C argues that Job needs to repent].
God does wonders that cannot be understood;
    he does so many ·miracles [marvelous acts] they cannot be counted.
10 He gives rain to the earth
    and sends water on the fields.
11 He makes the ·humble [lowly] person important [Ps. 113]
    and lifts ·the sad [mourners] to places of safety.
12 He ruins the ·plans [pretensions; strategies] of those who ·trick others [are crafty]
    so ·they [L their hands] have no success.
13 He catches the ·wise [crafty; clever] in their own ·clever traps [craftiness]
    and ·sweeps away [ends; finishes off] the ·plans [advice; schemes] of those who ·try to trick others [are wily].
14 Darkness ·covers them up [or encounters them] in the daytime;
    even at noon they ·feel [grope] around in the dark.
15 God saves the needy from their lies
    and from the harm done by powerful people.
16 So the poor have hope,
    while those who are ·unfair [unjust] ·are silenced [L shut their mouth].

17 “The one whom God ·corrects [reproves] is ·happy [blessed],
    so do not ·hate being corrected by [L reject/despise the instruction of] the Almighty [Prov. 3:11–12].
18 God ·hurts [wounds], but he also bandages up;
    he ·injures [strikes], but his hands also heal.
19 He will ·save [rescue] you from six ·troubles [dangers];
    even seven ·troubles [or evils] will not ·harm [L touch] you [C “six…seven” is a poetic way of saying “all troubles”].
20 God will ·buy you back [redeem/ransom you] from death in times of ·hunger [famine],
    and in ·battle [war] he will save you from the sword.
21 You will be ·protected [hidden] from the ·tongue that strikes like a whip [lash of the tongue],
    and you will not be afraid when destruction comes.
22 You will laugh at destruction and hunger [Ps. 112:7],
    and you will not fear the wild animals,
23 because you will have an ·agreement [treaty; alliance; covenant] with the stones in the field,
    and the wild animals will be at peace with you [C describes a peaceful relationship with all nature].
24 You will know that your tent is safe,
    because you will ·check [visit] ·the things you own [your pasturage/home] and find nothing missing.
25 You will know that you will have many ·children [descendants],
    and your ·descendants [offspring] will be like the grass on the earth.
26 You will come to the grave ·with all your strength [or at a ripe old age],
    like bundles of grain gathered at the right time.

27 “We have ·checked [examined] this, and it is true,
so hear it and ·decide what it means to you [know it yourself].”

The Discipline of the Almighty

“Call now, is there anyone who will answer you?
And to which of the (A)holy ones will you turn?
For (B)vexation kills the ignorant fool,
And jealousy puts to death the simple.
I have seen the (C)ignorant fool taking root,
And I (D)cursed his abode suddenly.
His (E)sons are far from salvation,
They are even crushed in the gate,
And there is no deliverer.
[a]His harvest the hungry devour
And take it to a place of thorns,
And the [b](F)schemer pants after their wealth.
For (G)wickedness does not come out from the dust,
Nor does trouble sprout from the ground,
For (H)man is born for trouble,
As [c]sparks fly upward.

“But as for me, I would (I)seek God,
And I would set my cause before God,
Who (J)does great and unsearchable things,
[d]Wonders without number.
10 He (K)gives rain on the earth
And sends water on the fields outside,
11 So that (L)He sets on high those who are lowly,
And those who mourn are lifted to salvation.
12 He (M)frustrates the thoughts of the crafty,
So that their hands cannot attain success of sound wisdom.
13 He (N)catches the wise by their own craftiness,
And the counsel of the twisted is quickly thwarted.
14 By day they (O)meet with darkness
And grope at noon as in the night.
15 But He saves from (P)the sword of their mouth,
And (Q)the needy from the hand of the strong.
16 So the poor has hope,
And (R)unrighteousness must shut its mouth.

17 “Behold, how (S)blessed is the man whom God reproves,
So do not reject the (T)discipline of the [e]Almighty.
18 For (U)He inflicts pain and [f]gives relief;
He [g]wounds, and His hands also heal.
19 [h]From six distresses (V)He will deliver you,
Even in seven (W)evil will not touch you.
20 In (X)famine He will redeem you from death,
And (Y)in war from hands with swords.
21 You will be (Z)hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
(AA)And you will not be afraid of devastation when it comes.
22 You will (AB)laugh at devastation and starvation,
(AC)And you will not be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
23 For your covenant will be with the stones of the field,
And (AD)the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.
24 You will know that your (AE)tent is at peace,
For you will visit your abode and fear no loss.
25 You will know also that your (AF)seed will be many,
And (AG)your offspring as the vegetation of the land.
26 You will (AH)come to the grave in full vigor,
Like the stacking of grain in its season.
27 Behold this; we have investigated it, and so it is.
Hear it, and know for yourself.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 5:5 Lit Whose
  2. Job 5:5 Ancient versions thirsty
  3. Job 5:7 Or sons of Reseph
  4. Job 5:9 Or Miracles
  5. Job 5:17 Heb Shaddai, so in Job
  6. Job 5:18 Lit binds
  7. Job 5:18 Or crushes
  8. Job 5:19 Lit In

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