1Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?5.1 turn: or, look? 2For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.5.2 envy: or, indignation 3I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation. 4His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them. 5Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.
6Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;5.6 affliction: or, iniquity 7Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.5.7 trouble: or, labour5.7 sparks…: Heb. the sons of the burning coal lift up to fly 8I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: 9Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:5.9 unsearchable: Heb. there is no search5.9 without…: Heb. till there be no number 10Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields:5.10 fields: Heb. outplaces 11To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety. 12He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.5.12 their enterprise: or, any thing 13He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong. 14They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night.5.14 meet…: or, run into 15But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty. 16So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.
17Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: 18For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole. 19He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. 20In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.5.20 power: Heb. hands 21Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.5.21 from…: or, when the tongue scourgeth 22At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. 23For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee. 24And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.5.24 thy tabernacle…: or, peace is thy tabernacle5.24 sin: or, err 25Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.5.25 great: or, much 26Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.5.26 cometh in: Heb. ascendeth 27Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.5.27 for…: Heb. for thyself
1Eliphaz continued,
“Call out if you want to, Job.
But who will answer you?
Which one of the holy angels will you turn to?
2Anger kills foolish people.
Jealousy destroys those who are childish.
3I saw that foolish people were having success.
But suddenly harm came to their homes.
4Their children aren’t safe at all.
They lose their case in court.
No one speaks up for them.
5Hungry people eat up the crops of the foolish.
They even take the food that grows among thorns.
Thirsty people long for the wealth of the foolish.
6Hard times don’t just grow out of the soil.
Trouble doesn’t jump out of the ground.
7People are born to have trouble.
And that’s just as sure as sparks fly up.
8“If I were you, I’d make my appeal to God.
I’d bring my case to be judged by him.
9He does wonderful things that can’t be understood.
He does miracles that can’t even be counted.
10He sends rain on the earth.
He sends water on the countryside.
11He lifts up people who are lowly in spirit.
He lifts up those who are sad.
He keeps them safe.
12He stops the evil plans of those who are clever.
The work of their hands doesn’t succeed.
13Some people think they are so wise.
But God catches them in their own tricks.
He sweeps away the evil plans of sinful people.
14Darkness covers them in the daytime.
At noon they feel their way around as if it were night.
15God saves needy people from the cutting words of their enemies.
He saves them from their power.
16So poor people have hope.
And God shuts the mouths of those who don’t treat others fairly.
17“Blessed is the person God corrects.
So don’t hate the Mighty One’s training.
18He wounds. But he also bandages up those he wounds.
He harms. But his hands also heal those he harms.
19From six troubles he will save you.
Even if you are in trouble seven times, no harm will come to you.
20When there isn’t enough food, God will keep you from dying.
When you go into battle, he won’t let a sword strike you down.
21He will keep you safe from words that can hurt you.
You won’t need to be afraid
when everything is being destroyed.
22You will laugh when things are being destroyed.
You will enjoy life even when there isn’t enough food.
You won’t be afraid of wild animals.
23You will make a covenant with the stones in the fields.
They won’t keep your crops from growing.
Even wild animals will be at peace with you.
24You will know that the tent you live in is secure.
You will check out your property.
You will see that nothing is missing.
25You can be sure you will have a lot of children.
They will be as many as the blades of grass on the earth.
26You will go down to the grave
while you are still very strong.
You will be like a crop that is gathered at the right time.
27“We have carefully studied all these things.
And they are true.
So pay attention to them.
Apply them to yourself.”
