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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.

“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