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Eliphaz: Job Is Chastised by God

“Call out now; is anyone answering you?
    And to whom among the holy ones will you turn?
For anger slays the foolish man,
    and jealousy kills the gullible.
Yes, I saw the foolish taking root,
    and quickly I cursed his dwelling.
May his children be far from safety,
    and may they be crushed in the gate without a deliverer;
whose harvest the hungry eats up,
    and takes it even out of the thorns,
    and the thirsty captures his wealth.
For affliction does not come out of the dust,
    nor does trouble sprout up out of the ground;
but man is born to trouble,
    as the sparks fly upward.

“Indeed, I would appeal to God,
    and before God I would set forth my case,
who does the great and the inscrutable,
    wonders without number.
10 He gives rain on the surface of the earth
    and sends water on the outdoor places.
11 He sets on high those who are lowly,
    and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 He frustrates the schemes of the crafty,
    so that their hands cannot perform their plans.
13 He catches the wise in their own craftiness,
    and the scheme of the shrewd is swiftly stopped.
14 In the daytime they encounter darkness,
    and at noontime they grope as in the night.
15 But the needy He saves from the sword,
    from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.
16 So the helpless has hope,
    and injustice shuts her mouth.

17 “How happy is the man whom God corrects!
    Therefore do not despise the discipline of the Almighty,
18 for He wounds, but He applies the bandage;
    He injures, but His hands also heal.
19 In six crises He will deliver you;
    even in seven, disaster will not touch you.
20 In famine He will redeem you from death,
    and in war from the power of the sword.
21 You will be hidden from the lash of the tongue,
    and you will not fear violence when it comes.
22 You will laugh at devastation and famine,
    and you will not fear wild animals.
23 For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field,
    and the wild animals will be at peace with you.
24 You will know that your tent is peaceful,
    and you will inspect your property and find nothing missing.
25 You will know that your offspring will be many
    and your descendants as the grass of the earth.
26 You go to the grave in a full age,
    as stalks of grain are gathered up in season.

27 “Look! We have investigated all this, and it is so;
    hear it, and know for yourself.”

“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