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

“Call now, is there anyone who will answer you? And to which of the holy ones will you turn?

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

“For anger slays the foolish man, And jealousy kills the simple.

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

“I have seen the foolish taking root, And I cursed his abode immediately.

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 safety, They are even oppressed 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.

“ His harvest the hungry devour And take it to a place of thorns, And the schemer is eager for their wealth.

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

“For affliction does not come from the dust, Nor does trouble sprout from the ground,

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

For man is born for trouble, As sparks fly upward.

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

“But as for me, I would seek God, And I would place my cause before God;

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

Who does great and unsearchable things, Wonders without number.

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

“He gives rain on the earth And sends water on the fields,

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

So that He sets on high those who are lowly, And those who mourn are lifted to safety.

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

“He frustrates the plotting of the shrewd, So that their hands cannot attain success.

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

“He captures the wise by their own shrewdness, And the advice of the cunning is quickly thwarted.

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

“By day they meet with darkness, And grope at noon 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 from the sword of their mouth, And the poor from the hand of the mighty.

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

“So the helpless has hope, And unrighteousness must shut its mouth.

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

“Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves, So do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.

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

“For He inflicts pain, and gives relief; He wounds, and His hands also heal.

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

“ From six troubles He will deliver you, Even in seven evil will not touch you.

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

“In famine He will redeem you 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.

“You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, And you will not be afraid of violence when it comes.

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

“You will laugh at violence and famine, And you will not be afraid of wild beasts.

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 you will be in league with the stones of the field, And the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.

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

“You will know that your tent is secure, For you will visit your abode and fear no loss.

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

“You will know also that your descendants will be many, And your 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.

“You will come to the grave in full vigor, Like the stacking of grain 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 investigated it, and so it is. Hear it, and know for yourself.”