1 P ray, call, is there any to answer thee? And unto which of the holy ones dost thou turn?

2 F or provocation slayeth the perverse, And envy putteth to death the simple,

3 I -- I have seen the perverse taking root, And I mark his habitation straightway,

4 F ar are his sons from safety, And they are bruised in the gate, And there is no deliverer.

5 W hose harvest the hungry doth eat, And even from the thorns taketh it, And the designing swallowed their wealth.

6 F or sorrow cometh not forth from the dust, Nor from the ground springeth up misery.

7 F or man to misery is born, And the sparks go high to fly.

8 Y et I -- I inquire for God, And for God I give my word,

9 D oing great things, and there is no searching. Wonderful, till there is no numbering.

10 W ho is giving rain on the face of the land, And is sending waters on the out-places.

11 T o set the low on a high place, And the mourners have been high safety.

12 M aking void thoughts of the subtile, And their hands do not execute wisdom.

13 C apturing the wise in their subtilty, And the counsel of wrestling ones was hastened,

14 B y day they meet darkness, And as night -- they grope at noon.

15 A nd He saveth the wasted from their mouth, And from a strong hand the needy,

16 A nd there is hope to the poor, And perverseness hath shut her mouth.

17 L o, the happiness of mortal man, God doth reprove him: And the chastisement of the Mighty despise not,

18 F or He doth pain, and He bindeth up, He smiteth, and His hands heal.

19 I n six distresses He delivereth thee, And in seven evil striketh not on thee.

20 I n famine He hath redeemed thee from death, And in battle from the hands of the sword.

21 W hen the tongue scourgeth thou art hid, And thou art not afraid of destruction, When it cometh.

22 A t destruction and at hunger thou mockest, And of the beast of the earth, Thou art not afraid.

23 ( For with sons of the field thy covenant, And the beast of the field Hath been at peace with thee.)

24 A nd thou hast known that thy tent peace, And inspected thy habitation, and errest not,

25 A nd hast known that numerous Thy seed, And thine offspring as the herb of the earth;

26 T hou comest in full age unto the grave, As the going up of a stalk in its season.

27 L o, this -- we searched it out -- it right, hearken; And thou, know for thyself!