1 C all now; is there any that will answer thee? And to which of the holy ones wilt thou turn?

Call, I pray thee! Is there any that answereth thee? and to which of the holy ones wilt thou turn?

2 F or vexation killeth the foolish man, And jealousy slayeth the silly one.

For vexation killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the simple.

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

I myself saw the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation.

4 H is children are far from safety, And they are crushed in the gate, Neither is there any to deliver them:

His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, and there is no deliverer:

5 W hose harvest the hungry eateth up, And taketh it even out of the thorns; And the snare gapeth for their substance.

Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh even out of the thorns; and the snare gapeth for his substance.

6 F or affliction cometh not forth from the dust, Neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;

For evil cometh not forth from the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;

7 B ut man is born unto trouble, As the sparks fly upward.

For man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upwards.

8 B ut as for me, I would seek unto God, And unto God would I commit my cause;

But as for me I will seek unto God, and unto God commit my cause;

9 W ho doeth great things and unsearchable, Marvellous things without number:

Who doeth great things and unsearchable, marvellous things without number;

10 W ho giveth rain upon the earth, And sendeth waters upon the fields;

Who giveth rain on the face of the earth, and sendeth waters on the face of the fields;

11 S o that he setteth up on high those that are low, And those that mourn are exalted to safety.

Setting up on high those that are low; and mourners are exalted to prosperity.

12 H e frustrateth the devices of the crafty, So that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, and their hands carry not out the enterprise.

13 H e taketh the wise in their own craftiness; And the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.

He taketh the wise in their own craftiness; and the counsel of the wily is carried headlong:

14 T hey meet with darkness in the day-time, And grope at noonday as in the night.

They meet with darkness in a the daytime, and grope at midday as in the night.

15 B ut he saveth from the sword of their mouth, Even the needy from the hand of the mighty.

And he saveth the needy from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.

16 S o the poor hath hope, And iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

So the poor hath what he hopeth for, and unrighteousness stoppeth her mouth.

17 B ehold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.

Behold, happy is the man whom +God correcteth; therefore despise not the chastening of the Almighty.

18 F or he maketh sore, and bindeth up; He woundeth, and his hands make whole.

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

19 H e will deliver thee in six troubles; Yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.

He will deliver thee in six troubles, and in seven there shall no evil touch thee.

20 I n famine he will redeem thee from death; And in war from the power of the sword.

In famine he will redeem thee from death, and in war from the power of the sword.

21 T hou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue; Neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.

Thou shalt be hidden from the scourge of the tongue; and thou shalt not be afraid of destruction when it cometh.

22 A t destruction and dearth thou shalt laugh; Neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh, and of the beasts of the earth thou shalt not be afraid.

23 F or thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field; And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

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 thou shalt know that thy tent is in peace; And thou shalt visit thy fold, and shalt miss nothing.

And thou shalt know that thy tent is in peace; and thou wilt survey thy fold, and miss nothing.

25 T hou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, And thine offspring as the grass of the earth.

And thou shalt know that thy seed is numerous, and thine offspring as the herb of the earth.

26 T hou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, Like as a shock of grain cometh in in its season.

Thou shalt come to the grave in a ripe age, as a shock of corn is brought in in its season.

27 L o this, we have searched it, so it is; Hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

Behold this, we have searched it out, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thyself.