The Bible in Basic English BBE
New International Version NIV
1 Give now a cry for help; is there anyone who will give you an answer? and to which of the holy ones will you make your prayer?
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“Call if you will, but who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?
2 For wrath is the cause of death to the foolish, and he who has no wisdom comes to his end through passion.
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Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.
3 I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly the curse came on his house.
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I myself have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed.
4 Now his children have no safe place, and they are crushed before the judges, for no one takes up their cause.
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His children are far from safety, crushed in court without a defender.
5 Their produce is taken by him who has no food, and their grain goes to the poor, and he who is in need of water gets it from their spring.
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The hungry consume his harvest, taking it even from among thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
6 For evil does not come out of the dust, or trouble out of the earth;
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For hardship does not spring from the soil, nor does trouble sprout from the ground.
7 But trouble is man's fate from birth, as the flames go up from the fire.
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Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.
8 But as for me, I would make my prayer to God, and I would put my cause before him:
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“But if I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him.
9 Who does great things outside our knowledge, wonders without number:
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He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.
10 Who gives rain on the earth, and sends water on the fields:
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He provides rain for the earth; he sends water on the countryside.
11 Lifting up those who are low, and putting the sad in a safe place;
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The lowly he sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 Who makes the designs of the wise go wrong, so that they are unable to give effect to their purposes.
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He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.
13 He takes the wise in their secret designs, and the purposes of the twisted are cut off suddenly.
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He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away.
14 In the daytime it becomes dark for them, and in the sunlight they go feeling about as if it was night.
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Darkness comes upon them in the daytime; at noon they grope as in the night.
15 But he keeps safe from their sword those who have no father, and the poor from the power of the strong.
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He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth; he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.
16 So the poor man has hope, and the mouth of the evil-doer is stopped.
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So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.
17 Truly, that man is happy who has training from the hand of God: so do not let your heart be shut to the teaching of the Ruler of all.
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“Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
18 For after his punishment he gives comfort, and after wounding, his hands make you well.
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For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal.
19 He will keep you safe from six troubles, and in seven no evil will come near you.
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From six calamities he will rescue you; in seven no harm will touch you.
20 When there is need of food he will keep you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.
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In famine he will deliver you from death, and in battle from the stroke of the sword.
21 He will keep you safe from the evil tongue; and you will have no fear of wasting when it comes.
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You will be protected from the lash of the tongue, and need not fear when destruction comes.
22 You will make sport of destruction and need, and will have no fear of the beasts of the earth.
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You will laugh at destruction and famine, and need not fear the wild animals.
23 For you will be in agreement with the stones of the earth, and the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.
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For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you.
24 And you will be certain that your tent is at peace, and after looking over your property you will see that nothing is gone.
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You will know that your tent is secure; you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.
25 You will be certain that your seed will be great, and your offspring like the plants of the earth.
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You will know that your children will be many, and your descendants like the grass of the earth.
26 You will come to your last resting-place in full strength, as the grain is taken up to the crushing-floor in its time.
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You will come to the grave in full vigor, like sheaves gathered in season.
27 See, we have made search with care, and it is so; it has come to our ears; see that you take note of it for yourself.
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“We have examined this, and it is true. So hear it and apply it to yourself.”
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.