Job 5

1 “Call if you will, but who will answer you?
To which of the holy ones will you turn?

2 Resentment kills a fool,
and envy slays the simple.

3 I myself have seen a fool taking root,
but suddenly his house was cursed.

4 His children are far from safety,
crushed in court without a defender.

5 The hungry consume his harvest,
taking it even from among thorns,
and the thirsty pant after his wealth.

6 For hardship does not spring from the soil,
nor does trouble sprout from the ground.

7 Yet man is born to trouble
as surely as sparks fly upward.

8 “But if it were I, I would appeal to God;
I would lay my cause before him.

9 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,
miracles that cannot be counted.

10 He bestows rain on the earth;
he sends water upon the countryside.

11 The lowly he sets on high,
and those who mourn are lifted to safety.

12 He thwarts the plans of the crafty,
so that their hands achieve no success.

13 He catches the wise in their craftiness,
and the schemes of the wily are swept away.

14 Darkness comes upon them in the daytime;
at noon they grope as in the night.

15 He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth;
he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.

16 So the poor have hope,
and injustice shuts its mouth.

17 “Blessed is the man whom God corrects;
so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.

18 For he wounds, but he also binds up;
he injures, but his hands also heal.

19 From six calamities he will rescue you;
in seven no harm will befall you.

20 In famine he will ransom you from death,
and in battle from the stroke of the sword.

21 You will be protected from the lash of the tongue,
and need not fear when destruction comes.

22 You will laugh at destruction and famine,
and need not fear the beasts of the earth.

23 For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field,
and the wild animals will be at peace with you.

24 You will know that your tent is secure;
you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.

25 You will know that your children will be many,
and your descendants like the grass of the earth.

26 You will come to the grave in full vigor,
like sheaves gathered in season.

27 “We have examined this, and it is true.
So hear it and apply it to yourself.”

JOB 5

Eliphaz Continues

Call Out for Help

1 Job, call out for help
and see if an angel comes!

2 Envy and jealousy
will kill a stupid fool.

3 I have seen fools take root.
But God sends a curse,
suddenly uprooting them

4 and leaving their children
helpless in court.

5 Then hungry and greedy people
gobble up their crops
and grab their wealth.t

6 Our suffering isn't caused
by the failure of crops;

7 it's all part of life,
like sparks shooting skyward.

8 Job, if I were you,
I would ask God for help.

9  t His miracles are marvelous,
more than we can count.

10 God sends showers on earth
and waters the fields.

11 He protects the sorrowful
and lifts up those
who have been disgraced.
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12 God swiftly traps the wicked

13  t in their own evil schemes,
and their wisdom fails.

14 Darkness is their only companion,
hiding their path at noon.

15 God rescues the needy
from the words of the wicked
and the fist of the mighty.

16 The poor are filled with hope,
and injustice is silenced.

Consider Yourself Fortunate

17  t Consider yourself fortunate
if God All-Powerful
chooses to correct you.

18  t He may cause injury and pain,
but he will bandage and heal
your cuts and bruises.

19 God will protect you from harm,
no matter how often
trouble may strike.

20 In times of war and famine,
God will keep you safe.

21 You will be sheltered,
without fear of hurtful words
or any other weapon.

22 You will laugh at the threat
of destruction and famine.
And you won't be afraid
of wild animals—

23 they will no longer be fierce,
and your rocky fields
will become friendly.

24 Your home will be secure,
and your sheep will be safe.

25 You will have more descendants
than there are blades of grass
on the face of the earth.

26 You will live a very long life,
and your body will be strong
until the day you die.

27 Our experience has proven
these things to be true,
so listen and learn.