1 “ Call out now; Is there anyone who will answer you? And to which of the holy ones will you turn?

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

2 F or wrath kills a foolish man, And envy slays a simple 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 dwelling place.

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

4 H is sons are far from safety, They are crushed in the gate, And there is no deliverer.

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

5 B ecause the hungry eat up his harvest, Taking it even from the thorns, And a snare snatches 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 does not come from the dust, Nor does trouble spring from the ground;

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

7 Y et man is born to trouble, As the sparks fly upward.

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

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

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

9 W ho does great things, and unsearchable, Marvelous things without number.

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

10 H e gives rain on the earth, And sends waters on the fields.

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

11 H e sets on high those who are lowly, And those who mourn are lifted to safety.

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

12 H e frustrates the devices of the crafty, So that their hands cannot carry out their plans.

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

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

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 daytime, And grope at noontime as in the night.

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

15 B ut He saves the needy from the sword, From the mouth of the mighty, And from their hand.

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

16 S o the poor have hope, And injustice shuts her mouth.

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

17 “ Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise 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 bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.

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

19 H e shall deliver you in six troubles, Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.

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

20 I n famine He shall redeem you 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 Y ou shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes.

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

22 Y ou shall laugh at destruction and famine, And you shall not 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 you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field, And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.

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 Y ou shall know that your tent is in peace; You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss.

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

25 Y ou shall also know that your descendants shall be many, And your offspring like the grass of the earth.

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

26 Y ou shall come to the grave at a full age, As a sheaf of grain ripens 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 B ehold, this we have searched out; It is true. Hear it, and know for yourself.”

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