Job 5
Living Bible
5 “They cry for help but no one listens; they turn to their gods, but none gives them aid. 2 They die in helpless frustration, overcome by their own anger. 3 Those who turn from God may be successful for the moment, but then comes sudden disaster. 4 Their children are cheated, with no one to defend them. 5 Their harvests are stolen, and their wealth slakes the thirst of many others, not themselves! 6 Misery comes upon them to punish them for sowing seeds of sin. 7 Mankind heads for sin and misery as predictably as flames shoot upwards from a fire.
8 “My advice to you is this: Go to God and confess your sins to him.[a] 9 For he does wonderful miracles, marvels without number. 10 He sends the rain upon the earth to water the fields, 11 and gives prosperity to the poor and humble, and takes sufferers to safety.
12 “He frustrates the plans of crafty men. 13 They are caught in their own traps; he thwarts their schemes. 14 They grope like blind men in the daylight; they see no better in the daytime than at night.
15 “God saves the fatherless and the poor from the grasp of these oppressors. 16 And so at last the poor have hope, and the fangs of the wicked are broken.
17 “How enviable the man whom God corrects! Oh, do not despise the chastening of the Lord when you sin. 18 For though he wounds, he binds and heals again. 19 He will deliver you again and again so that no evil can touch you.
20 “He will keep you from death in famine and from the power of the sword in time of war.
21 “You will be safe from slander; no need to fear the future.
22 “You shall laugh at war and famine; wild animals will leave you alone. 23 Dangerous animals will be at peace with you.
24 “You need not worry about your home while you are gone; nothing shall be stolen from your barns.
25 “Your sons shall become important men; your descendants shall be as numerous as grass! 26 You shall live a long, good life; like standing grain, you’ll not be harvested until it’s time! 27 I have found from experience that all of this is true. For your own good, listen to my counsel.”
Footnotes
- Job 5:8 Go to God and confess your sins to him, literally, “I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause.”
Job 5
New International Reader's Version
5 Eliphaz continued,
“Call out if you want to, Job.
But who will answer you?
Which one of the holy angels will you turn to?
2 Anger kills foolish people.
Jealousy destroys those who are childish.
3 I saw that foolish people were having success.
But suddenly harm came to their homes.
4 Their children aren’t safe at all.
They lose their case in court.
No one speaks up for them.
5 Hungry people eat up the crops of the foolish.
They even take the food that grows among thorns.
Thirsty people long for the wealth of the foolish.
6 Hard times don’t just grow out of the soil.
Trouble doesn’t jump out of the ground.
7 People are born to have trouble.
And that’s just as sure as sparks fly up.
8 “If I were you, I’d make my appeal to God.
I’d bring my case to be judged by him.
9 He does wonderful things that can’t be understood.
He does miracles that can’t even be counted.
10 He sends rain on the earth.
He sends water on the countryside.
11 He lifts up people who are lowly in spirit.
He lifts up those who are sad.
He keeps them safe.
12 He stops the evil plans of those who are clever.
The work of their hands doesn’t succeed.
13 Some people think they are so wise.
But God catches them in their own tricks.
He sweeps away the evil plans of sinful people.
14 Darkness covers them in the daytime.
At noon they feel their way around as if it were night.
15 God saves needy people from the cutting words of their enemies.
He saves them from their power.
16 So poor people have hope.
And God shuts the mouths of those who don’t treat others fairly.
17 “Blessed is the person God corrects.
So don’t hate the Mighty One’s training.
18 He wounds. But he also bandages up those he wounds.
He harms. But his hands also heal those he harms.
19 From six troubles he will save you.
Even if you are in trouble seven times, no harm will come to you.
20 When there isn’t enough food, God will keep you from dying.
When you go into battle, he won’t let a sword strike you down.
21 He will keep you safe from words that can hurt you.
You won’t need to be afraid
when everything is being destroyed.
22 You will laugh when things are being destroyed.
You will enjoy life even when there isn’t enough food.
You won’t be afraid of wild animals.
23 You will make a covenant with the stones in the fields.
They won’t keep your crops from growing.
Even wild animals will be at peace with you.
24 You will know that the tent you live in is secure.
You will check out your property.
You will see that nothing is missing.
25 You can be sure you will have a lot of children.
They will be as many as the blades of grass on the earth.
26 You will go down to the grave
while you are still very strong.
You will be like a crop that is gathered at the right time.
27 “We have carefully studied all these things.
And they are true.
So pay attention to them.
Apply them to yourself.”
Job 5
King James Version
5 Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?
2 For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.
3 I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
4 His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.
5 Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.
6 Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;
7 Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.
8 I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:
9 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.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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