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

“Call out 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 wrath kills a foolish man, And envy slays a simple one.

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

I have seen the foolish taking root, But suddenly I cursed his dwelling place.

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 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.

Because the hungry eat up his harvest, Taking it even from the thorns, And a snare snatches their substance.

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 spring from the ground;

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

Yet man is born to 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;

“But as for me, I would seek God, And to God I would commit my cause—

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

Who does great things, and unsearchable, Marvelous things without number.

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

He gives rain on the earth, And sends waters on the fields.

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

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 devices of the crafty, So that their hands cannot carry out their plans.

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

He catches the wise in their own craftiness, And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them.

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 at noontime 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 needy from the sword, From the mouth of the mighty, And from their hand.

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

So the poor have hope, And injustice shuts 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 corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.

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

For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but 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 you in six troubles, Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.

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

In famine He shall 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 shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, And you shall not 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.

You shall laugh at destruction and famine, And you shall not 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 you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field, And the beasts of the field shall 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 shall know that your tent is in peace; You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss.

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

You shall also know that your descendants shall be many, And your offspring like 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 shall come to the grave at a full age, As a sheaf of grain ripens 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 out; It is true. Hear it, and know for yourself.”