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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“His sons are far from safety, They are even oppressed 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who does great and unsearchable things, Wonders without number.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“By day they meet with darkness, And grope at noon as in the night.

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

“But He saves from the sword of their mouth, And the poor from the hand of the mighty.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“In famine He will redeem you from death, And in war from the power of the sword.

21 W hen the tongue scourgeth thou art hid, And thou art not 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 at hunger thou mockest, And of the beast of the earth, Thou art not afraid.

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

23 ( For with sons of the field thy covenant, And the beast of the field Hath been 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 hast known that thy tent peace, And inspected thy habitation, and errest not,

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

25 A nd hast known that numerous Thy seed, And thine offspring as the herb 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 comest in full age unto the grave, As the going up of a stalk 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 searched it out -- it right, hearken; And thou, know for thyself!

“Behold this; we have investigated it, and so it is. Hear it, and know for yourself.”