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

¶ Call now, if there shall be anyone to answer thee; and if there shall be any of the saints for thee to look unto?

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

It is certain that wrath kills the foolish man, and envy consumes the covetous one.

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

I have seen the foolish taking root, but at the same time 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 sons are far from saving health, and they shall be crushed in the gate, and there shall be no one to deliver them.

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

The hungry shall eat up his harvest, and even take it out from among the thorns, and the thirsty shall drink up their substance.

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

¶ For the iniquity does not come forth out of the dust; neither does chastisement spring up out of the ground;

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

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

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

I would certainly seek God, and unto God would I commit my affairs;

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

who does great things that no one can understand, and marvels that have no explanation;

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

who gives rain upon the earth and sends waters abroad;

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

who sets up the humble on high, that those who mourn may be lifted up with saving health.

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

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

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

He takes the wise in their own prudence, and the counsel of his adversaries is turned to folly.

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

They meet with darkness in the daytime and grope in the noonday as in the night.

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

But he saves the poor from the sword, from the mouth of the wicked, and from the hand of the violent.

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

Who is the hope of the poor, and iniquity closes her mouth.

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

¶ Behold, blessed is the man whom God chastens; therefore, do not despise not the correction of the Almighty.

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

For he makes sore, and binds up; he wounds, and his hands make whole.

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

He shall deliver thee in six tribulations, and in the seventh no evil shall touch thee.

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

In famine he shall ransom 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 hid from the scourge of the tongue; neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it comes.

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; neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth;

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 there is peace in thy tent, and thou shalt visit thy habitation and shalt not sin.

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

Thou shalt know that thy seed is great and thine offspring as the grass 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 thy grave in a full age, like a shock of wheat that is gathered in its season.

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

Behold that which we have searched out, so it is; hear it and judge it for thyself.