“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

Job Is Corrected by God

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

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

17 “How happy is the one whom God reproves;
    therefore do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.[d](O)
18 For he wounds, but he binds up;
    he strikes, but his hands heal.(P)
19 He will deliver you from six troubles;
    in seven no harm shall touch you.(Q)
20 In famine he will redeem you from death
    and in war from the power of the sword.(R)
21 You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue
    and shall not fear destruction when it comes.(S)
22 At destruction and famine you shall laugh
    and shall not fear the wild animals of the earth.(T)
23 For you shall be in league with the stones of the field,
    and the wild animals shall be at peace with you.(U)
24 You shall know that your tent is safe;
    you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.(V)
25 You shall know that your descendants will be many
    and your offspring like the grass of the earth.(W)
26 You shall come to your grave in ripe old age,
    as a shock of grain comes up to the threshing floor in its season.(X)
27 See, we have searched this out; it is true.
    Hear, and know it for yourself.”

Footnotes

  1. 5.5 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 5.5 Aquila Symmachus Syr Vg: Heb snare
  3. 5.7 Or birds; Heb sons of Resheph
  4. 5.17 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai