[1] Call out. Will anyone answer you? To which holy one will you turn? [2] Surely anger can kill the foolish; fury can kill the simple. [3] I’ve seen the foolish take root and promptly curse their house. [4] Their children are far from safety, crushed in the gate without a deliverer. [5] The hungry devour their crops; it’s taken even from the thorns, and the thirsty pant after their yield. [6] Surely trouble doesn’t come from dust, nor does distress sprout from the ground. [7] Surely humans are born to distress, just as sparks rise up. [8] But I would seek God, put my case to God, [9] who does great things beyond comprehension, wonderful things without number; [10] who provides rain over the earth’s surface, sends water to the open country, [11] exalts the lowly, raises mourners to victory; [12] who frustrates the schemes of the clever so that their hands achieve no success, [13] trapping the wise in their cleverness so that the plans of the devious don’t succeed. [14] They encounter darkness during the day, and at noon they fumble about as at night. [15] Yet he rescues the orphan from the sword of their mouth, the needy from the grip of the strong; [16] so the poor have hope and violence shuts its mouth. [17] Look, happy is the person whom God corrects; so don’t reject the Almighty’s instruction. [18] He injures, but he binds up; he strikes, but his hands heal. [19] From six adversities he will deliver you; from seven harm won’t touch you. [20] In famine he will ransom you from death; in war, from the power of the sword. [21] You will be hidden from the tongue’s sting, and you won’t fear destruction when it comes. [22] You will laugh at destruction and hunger; you won’t be afraid of wild beasts; [23] for you will make an agreement with the stones of the field; and the beasts of the field will be at peace with you. [24] You will know that your tent is secure. You will examine your home and miss nothing. [25] You will know that you’ll have many children. Your offspring will be like the grass of the earth. [26] You will come to your grave in old age as bundles of grain stacked up at harvesttime. [27] Look, we’ve searched this out, and so it is; listen and find out for yourself.
