1 C all now—is there any who will answer you? And to which of the holy will you turn?

Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?

2 F or vexation and rage kill the foolish man; jealousy and indignation slay the simple.

For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.

3 I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I saw that his dwelling was cursed.

I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.

4 H is children are far from safety; they are crushed in the gate, and there is no one to deliver them.

His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.

5 H is harvest the hungry eat and take it even among the thorns; the snare opens for wealth.

Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.

6 F or affliction comes not forth from the dust, neither does trouble spring forth out of the ground.

Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;

7 B ut man is born to trouble as the sparks and the flames fly upward.

Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

8 A s for me, I would seek God and inquire of and require Him, and to God would I commit my cause—

I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:

9 W ho does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number,

Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:

10 W ho gives rain upon the earth and sends waters upon the fields,

Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields:

11 S o that He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn He lifts to safety.

To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.

12 H e frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise or anything of worth.

He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

13 H e catches the wise in their own trickiness, and the counsel of the schemers is brought to a quick end.

He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.

14 I n the daytime they meet in darkness, and at noon they grope as in the night.

They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope in the noonday as in the night.

15 B ut saves from the sword of their mouth, and the needy from the hand of the mighty.

But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.

16 S o the poor have hope, and iniquity shuts her mouth.

So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

17 H appy and fortunate is the man whom God reproves; so do not despise or reject the correction of the Almighty.

Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

18 F or He wounds, but He binds up; He smites, but His hands heal.

For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

19 H e will rescue you in six troubles; in seven nothing that is evil will touch you.

He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.

20 I n famine He will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.

In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.

21 Y ou shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, neither shall you be afraid of destruction when it comes.

Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.

22 A t destruction and famine you shall laugh, neither shall you be afraid of the living creatures of the earth.

At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

23 F or you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.

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 A nd you shall know that your tent shall be in peace, and you shall visit your fold and your dwelling and miss nothing.

And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.

25 Y ou shall know also that your children shall be many, and your offspring as the grass of the earth.

Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.

26 Y ou shall come to your grave in ripe old age, and as a shock of grain goes up in its season.

Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.

27 T his is what we have searched out; it is true. Hear and heed it and know for yourself.

Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.