New American Standard Bible NAS
New International Version NIV
1 "Call now, is there anyone who will answer you? And to which of the holy ones will you turn?
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“Call if you will, but who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?
2 "For anger slays the foolish man, And jealousy kills the simple.
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Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.
3 "I have seen the foolish taking root, And I cursed his abode immediately.
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I myself have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed.
4 "His sons are far from safety, They are even oppressed in the gate, And there is no deliverer.
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His children are far from safety, crushed in court without a defender.
5 "His harvest the hungry devour And take it to a place of thorns, And the schemer is eager for their wealth.
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The hungry consume his harvest, taking it even from among thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
6 "For affliction does not come from the dust, Nor does trouble sprout from the ground,
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For hardship does not spring from the soil, nor does trouble sprout from the ground.
7 For man is born for trouble, As sparks fly upward.
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Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.
8 "But as for me, I would seek God, And I would place my cause before God;
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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 and unsearchable things, Wonders without number.
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He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.
10 "He 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 So that He sets on high those who are lowly, And those who mourn are lifted to safety.
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The lowly he sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12 "He frustrates the plotting of the shrewd, So that their hands cannot attain success.
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He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.
13 "He captures the wise by their own shrewdness, And the advice of the cunning is quickly thwarted.
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He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away.
14 "By day they meet with darkness, And grope at noon as in the night.
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Darkness comes upon them in the daytime; at noon they grope as in the night.
15 "But He saves from the sword of their mouth, And the poor from the hand of the mighty.
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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 helpless has hope, And unrighteousness must shut its mouth.
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So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.
17 "Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves, So do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
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“Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
18 "For He inflicts pain, and gives relief; He wounds, and His hands also heal.
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For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal.
19 "From six troubles He will deliver you, Even in seven evil will not touch you.
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From six calamities he will rescue you; in seven no harm will touch you.
20 "In famine He will redeem 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 "You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, And you will not be afraid of violence 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 laugh at violence and famine, And you will not be afraid of wild beasts.
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You will laugh at destruction and famine, and need not fear the wild animals.
23 "For you will be in league with the stones of the field, 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 "You will know that your tent is secure, For you will visit your abode and fear no loss.
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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 know also that your descendants will be many, And your offspring as the grass 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 the grave in full vigor, Like the stacking of grain in its season.
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You will come to the grave in full vigor, like sheaves gathered in season.
27 "Behold this; we have investigated it, and so it is. Hear it, and know for yourself."
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“We have examined this, and it is true. So hear it and apply it to yourself.”
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California. All rights reserved.
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.