International Standard Version | NET Bible |
1"Cry out, won't you! Is there anyone who will answer you? To whom will you turn among the holy ones? | 1"Call now! Is there anyone who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn? |
2For wrath will slay a fool; zealous anger will kill the naive. | 2For wrath kills the foolish person, and anger slays the silly one. |
3"I myself saw a fool becoming established, but I suddenly cursed where he lived. | 3I myself have seen the fool taking root, but suddenly I cursed his place of residence. |
4His children are far from deliverance; they'll be maltreated before they leave home, with no one to rescue them. | 4His children are far from safety, and they are crushed at the place where judgment is rendered, nor is there anyone to deliver them. |
5Then the hungry will devour his harvest, snatching it even from the midst of thorns, while the thirsty covet their wealth. | 5The hungry eat up his harvest, and take it even from behind the thorns, and the thirsty swallow up their fortune. |
6For wickedness doesn't crop up from dust, nor does trouble sprout out of the ground; | 6For evil does not come up from the dust, nor does trouble spring up from the ground, |
7But mankind is born headed for trouble, just as sparks soar skyward." | 7but people are born to trouble, as surely as the sparks fly upward. |
8"Now as for me, I would seek God if I were you; I would commit my case to God. | 8"But as for me, I would seek God, and to God I would set forth my case. |
9He is always doing great things that cannot be explained, countless awesome deeds. | 9He does great and unsearchable things, marvelous things without number; |
10He sends rain on the surface of the earth, and waters the surface of the open country. | 10he gives rain on the earth, and sends water on the fields; |
11He sets the lowly on high, and lifts those who mourn to safety. | 11he sets the lowly on high, that those who mourn are raised to safety. |
12He frustrates the plans of the crafty; so that what they work for never succeeds. | 12He frustrates the plans of the crafty so that their hands cannot accomplish what they had planned! |
13He captures the wise in their own craftiness, bringing a quick end to their cunning advice. | 13He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the cunning is brought to a quick end. |
14They meet with darkness in broad daylight; at noonday they grope around as if it were night. | 14They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope about in the noontime as if it were night. |
15So he delivers from the sword of their mouth— the poor from the power of the mighty. | 15So he saves from the sword that comes from their mouth, even the poor from the hand of the powerful. |
16Therefore there is hope for those who are poor, and iniquity shuts its mouth. | 16Thus the poor have hope, and iniquity shuts its mouth. |
17"Indeed, how blessed is the person whom God reproves! So never disrespect the discipline of the Almighty, | 17"Therefore, blessed is the man whom God corrects, so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. |
18because though he wounds, but then applies bandages; though he strikes, his hands still heal. | 18For he wounds, but he also bandages; he strikes, but his hands also heal. |
19"He will deliver you through six calamities; and calamity won't touch you throughout the seventh. | 19He will deliver you from six calamities; yes, in seven no evil will touch you. |
20He will deliver you from death by famine; in war from the power of the sword. | 20In time of famine he will redeem you from death, and in time of war from the power of the sword. |
21You'll be protected from the accusing tongue; you need not fear destruction when it heads your way. | 21You will be protected from malicious gossip, and will not be afraid of the destruction when it comes. |
22You'll laugh at destruction and famine; and you need not fear the beasts of the earth. | 22You will laugh at destruction and famine and need not be afraid of the beasts of the earth. |
23For you'll have a pact with the stones in the field; and the beasts of the field will be at peace with you. | 23For you will have a pact with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you. |
24You'll know that your home is secure; when you search your possessions, and nothing will be missing. | 24And you will know that your home will be secure, and when you inspect your domains, you will not be missing anything. |
25You'll know that you'll have many children; and that your offspring will be like the grass of the earth. | 25You will also know that your children will be numerous, and your descendants like the grass of the earth. |
26You'll go to your grave at a ripe old age; like a stack of grain that's harvested at just the right time. | 26You will come to your grave in a full age, As stacks of grain are harvested in their season. |
27"Look! We have thought all this through, and what we've said is true; So please listen and learn for your own good!" | 27Look, we have investigated this, so it is true. Hear it, and apply it for your own good." |
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