Job 5:7
New International Version
Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.

New Living Translation
People are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly up from a fire.

English Standard Version
but man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.

Berean Standard Bible
Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.

King James Bible
Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

New King James Version
Yet man is born to trouble, As the sparks fly upward.

New American Standard Bible
For man is born for trouble, As sparks fly upward.

NASB 1995
For man is born for trouble, As sparks fly upward.

NASB 1977
For man is born for trouble, As sparks fly upward.

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

Amplified Bible
“For man is born for trouble, [As naturally] as sparks fly upward.

Christian Standard Bible
But humans are born for trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But mankind is born for trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.

American Standard Version
But man is born unto trouble, As the sparks fly upward.

Contemporary English Version
it's all part of life, like sparks shooting skyward.

English Revised Version
But man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But a person is born for trouble as surely as sparks fly up [from a fire].

Good News Translation
No indeed! We bring trouble on ourselves, as surely as sparks fly up from a fire.

International Standard Version
But mankind is born headed for trouble, just as sparks soar skyward."

Majority Standard Bible
Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.

NET Bible
but people are born to trouble, as surely as the sparks fly upward.

New Heart English Bible
but man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

Webster's Bible Translation
Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

World English Bible
but man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
For man is born to misery, "" And the sparks go high to fly.

Young's Literal Translation
For man to misery is born, And the sparks go high to fly.

Smith's Literal Translation
For man shall be born to labor as the sons of the flame will lift up to fly.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Man is born to labour and the bird to fly.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Man is born to labor, and the bird to fly.

New American Bible
Human beings beget mischief as sparks fly upward.

New Revised Standard Version
but human beings are born to trouble just as sparks fly upward.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For man is born for trouble, as sure as the wild birds fly.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because a son of man is born to trouble, and the offspring of birds to lift up wings
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
But man is born unto trouble, As the sparks fly upward.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
yet man is born to labour, and even so the vulture's young seek the high places.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Eliphaz Continues: God Blesses those who Seek Him
6For distress does not spring from the dust, and trouble does not sprout from the ground. 7Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward. 8However, if I were you, I would appeal to God and lay my cause before Him—…

Cross References
Genesis 3:17-19
And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. / Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. / By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground—because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”

Ecclesiastes 2:23
Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.

Romans 8:20-22
For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope / that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. / We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time.

Psalm 90:10
The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty if we are strong—yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

Ecclesiastes 1:13-14
And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a miserable task God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them! / I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.

Isaiah 40:30-31
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall. / But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.

Matthew 6:34
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.

John 16:33
I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”

2 Corinthians 4:17
For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison.

Ecclesiastes 5:15-17
As a man came from his mother’s womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands. / This too is a grievous affliction: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind? / Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.

1 Peter 4:12-13
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you. / But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory.

Psalm 73:5
They are free of the burdens others carry; they are not afflicted like other men.

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.

Isaiah 57:1-2
The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart; devout men are taken away, while no one considers that the righteous are taken away from the presence of evil. / Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest, lying down in death.

2 Timothy 3:12
Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,


Treasury of Scripture

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

man.

Job 14:1
Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

Genesis 3:17-19
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; …

Psalm 90:8,9
Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance…

trouble.

Ecclesiastes 1:8
All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

Ecclesiastes 2:22
For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 5:15-17
As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand…

sparks fly upward.

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Birth Born Fate Fire Flames Fly High Misery Sparks Surely Trouble Upward Upwards
Job 5
1. Eliphaz shows that the end of the wicked is misery;
6. that man is born to trouble;
8. that God is to be regarded in affliction;
17. the happy end of God's correction.














Yet man is born to trouble
This phrase reflects the inherent nature of human existence in a fallen world. The concept of being "born to trouble" aligns with the biblical narrative of the Fall in Genesis 3, where sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, resulting in a cursed creation. This idea is echoed throughout Scripture, such as in Romans 5:12, which states that sin and death entered the world through one man. The inevitability of trouble in human life is a theme that resonates with the experiences of biblical figures like Joseph, David, and the prophets, who all faced significant trials. Theologically, this phrase underscores the doctrine of original sin and the need for redemption through Jesus Christ, who offers hope and salvation amidst life's troubles.

as surely as sparks fly upward.
This simile draws on a natural and observable phenomenon to illustrate the certainty of human suffering. In ancient times, fire was a common element in daily life, used for warmth, cooking, and metallurgy. The imagery of sparks flying upward from a fire would have been familiar to Job's audience, serving as a powerful metaphor for the inevitability of trouble. This phrase can be connected to other biblical passages that use fire as a symbol of testing and purification, such as Malachi 3:2-3, which speaks of God refining His people like a refiner's fire. The upward movement of sparks also subtly points to the hope of transcendence and divine intervention, as believers are encouraged to look upward to God for deliverance and strength in times of trouble.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Job
A man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. He is the central figure in the Book of Job, experiencing intense suffering and questioning the reasons behind it.

2. Eliphaz the Temanite
One of Job's three friends who comes to comfort him. Eliphaz is the speaker in Job 5:7, offering his perspective on human suffering and divine justice.

3. Teman
A region in Edom, known for its wise men. Eliphaz, being a Temanite, is considered to be a man of wisdom and understanding.

4. Suffering
The central theme of the Book of Job, exploring the reasons for human suffering and the nature of God's justice.

5. Sparks
Used metaphorically in this verse to illustrate the inevitability and natural occurrence of human troubles.
Teaching Points
The Universality of Suffering
Suffering is a common human experience, as natural and inevitable as sparks flying upward. Understanding this can help us approach our own troubles with a sense of shared humanity.

The Nature of Human Life
Life is inherently filled with challenges and difficulties. Recognizing this can prepare us to face life's trials with resilience and faith.

The Role of Wisdom in Suffering
Eliphaz, though misguided in his application, represents the search for wisdom in the midst of suffering. Seeking God's wisdom can provide guidance and comfort during difficult times.

Hope Beyond Trouble
While trouble is inevitable, Christians are called to find hope in Christ, who has overcome the world. This hope can sustain us through life's challenges.

The Importance of Community
Job's friends, despite their flawed counsel, remind us of the importance of community and support during times of suffering. We are called to bear one another's burdens.Verse 7. - Yet man is born unto trouble. Yet still, in point of fact, man is born to trouble. He has a corrupt nature, and always sins more or less. Each sin brings him into trouble, since it entails on him a punishment. As the sparks fly upward; literally, the sons of flame. Some suppose "meteoric flashes" to be meant: others suggest, "ignited arrows." But many good Hebraists maintain the rendering of the Authorized Version (see Buxtorf, 'Lexicon,' p. 757; Rosenmuller, 'Scholia,' vol. 5. p. 165; Canon Cook, 'Speaker's Commentary,' vol. 4. p. 34).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Yet
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

man
אָ֭דָם (’ā·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

is born
יוּלָּ֑ד (yūl·lāḏ)
Verb - QalPass - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage

to trouble
לְעָמָ֣ל (lə·‘ā·māl)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5999: Toil, wearing effort, worry, wheth, of body, mind

as surely as sparks
וּבְנֵי־ (ū·ḇə·nê-)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

fly
עֽוּף׃ (‘ūp̄)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5774: To fly, to faint

upward.
יַגְבִּ֥יהוּ (yaḡ·bî·hū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1361: To soar, be lofty, to be haughty


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OT Poetry: Job 5:7 But man is born to trouble as (Jb)
Job 5:6
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