5 Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?

² For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.

³ I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.

⁴ His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.

⁵ Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.

⁶ Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;

⁷ Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

⁸ I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:

⁹ Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:

¹⁰ Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields:

¹¹ To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.

¹² He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

¹³ He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.

¹⁴ They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope in the noonday as in the night.

¹⁵ But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.

¹⁶ So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

¹⁷ Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

¹⁸ For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

¹⁹ He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.

²⁰ In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.

²¹ Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.

²² At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

²³ For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

²⁴ And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.

²⁵ Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.

²⁶ Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.

²⁷ Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

6 But Job answered and said,

² Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!

³ For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.

⁴ For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

⁵ Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?

⁶ Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

⁷ The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.

⁸ Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

⁹ Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

¹⁰ Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

¹¹ What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?

¹² Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?

¹³ Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?

¹⁴ To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

¹⁵ My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;

¹⁶ Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:

¹⁷ What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

¹⁸ The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.

¹⁹ The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.

²⁰ They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.

²¹ For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.

²² Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?

²³ Or, Deliver me from the enemy’s hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?

²⁴ Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

²⁵ How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?

²⁶ Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?

²⁷ Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.

²⁸ Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.

²⁹ Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.

³⁰ Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?