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Call out, Job. See if anyone answers.

    Is there any angel to whom you can turn?
To worry yourself to death with resentment
    would be a foolish, senseless thing to do.
I have seen fools who looked secure,
    but I called down a sudden curse on their homes.
Their children can never find safety;
    no one stands up to defend them in court.
Hungry people will eat the fool's crops—
    even the grain growing among thorns[a]
    and thirsty people will envy his wealth.
Evil does not grow in the soil,
    nor does trouble grow out of the ground.
No indeed! We bring trouble on ourselves,
    as surely as sparks fly up from a fire.[b]

If I were you, I would turn to God
    and present my case to him.
(A)We cannot understand the great things he does,
    and to his miracles there is no end.
10 He sends rain on the land
    and he waters the fields.
11 Yes, it is God who raises the humble
    and gives joy to all who mourn.
12-13 (B)He upsets the plans of cunning people,
    and traps the wise in their own schemes,
    so that nothing they do succeeds;
14     even at noon they grope in darkness.
15 But God saves the poor[c] from death;
    he saves the needy from oppression.
16 He gives hope to the poor and silences the wicked.

17 (C)Happy is the person whom God corrects!
    Do not resent it when he rebukes you.
18 (D)God bandages the wounds he makes;
    his hand hurts you, and his hand heals.
19 Time after time he will save you from harm;
20     when famine comes, he will keep you alive,
    and in war protect you from death.
21 God will rescue you from slander;
    he will save you when destruction comes.
22 You will laugh at violence and hunger
    and not be afraid of wild animals.
23 The fields you plow will be free of rocks;
    wild animals will never attack you.
24 Then you will live at peace in your tent;
    when you look at your sheep, you will find them safe.
25 You will have as many children
    as there are blades of grass in a pasture.
26 Like wheat that ripens till harvest time,
    you will live to a ripe old age.
27 Job, we have learned this by long study.
    It is true, so now accept it.

Footnotes

  1. Job 5:5 Probable text even … thorns; Hebrew unclear.
  2. Job 5:7 sparks fly up from a fire; or birds fly up to the sky.
  3. Job 5:15 Probable text poor; Hebrew unclear.

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 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

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