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

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

2 I t is certain that wrath kills the foolish man, and envy consumes the covetous one.

For vexation and rage kill the foolish man; jealousy and indignation slay the simple.

3 I have seen the foolish taking root, but at the same time I cursed his habitation.

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

4 H is sons are far from saving health, and they shall be crushed in the gate, and there shall be no one to deliver them.

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

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

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

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

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

7 y et man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

But man is born to trouble as the sparks and the flames fly upward.

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

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

9 w ho does great things that no one can understand, and marvels that have no explanation;

Who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number,

10 w ho gives rain upon the earth and sends waters abroad;

Who gives rain upon the earth and sends waters upon the fields,

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

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

12 H e frustrates 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 or anything of worth.

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

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

14 T hey meet with darkness in the daytime and grope in the noonday as in the night.

In the daytime they meet in darkness, and at noon they grope as in the night.

15 B ut he saves the poor from the sword, from the mouth of the wicked, and from the hand of the violent.

But saves from the sword of their mouth, and the needy from the hand of the mighty.

16 W ho is the hope of the poor, and iniquity closes her mouth.

So the poor have hope, and iniquity shuts her mouth.

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

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

18 F or he makes sore, and binds up; he wounds, and his hands make whole.

For He wounds, but He binds up; He smites, but His hands heal.

19 H e shall deliver thee in six tribulations, and in the seventh no evil shall touch thee.

He will rescue you in six troubles; in seven nothing that is evil will touch you.

20 I n famine he shall ransom 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 comes.

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

22 A t destruction and famine thou shalt laugh; neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth;

At destruction and famine you shall laugh, neither shall you be afraid of the living creatures 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 be in league 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 there is peace in thy tent, and thou shalt visit thy habitation and shalt not sin.

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

25 T hou shalt know that thy seed is great and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.

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

26 T hou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like a shock of wheat that is gathered in its season.

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

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

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