New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 "Call now; is there anyone who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?
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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?
2 Surely vexation kills the fool, and jealousy slays the simple.
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For wrath is the cause of death to the foolish, and he who has no wisdom comes to his end through passion.
3 I have seen fools taking root, but suddenly I cursed their dwelling.
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I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly the curse came on his house.
4 Their children are far from safety, they are crushed in the gate, and there is no one to deliver them.
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Now his children have no safe place, and they are crushed before the judges, for no one takes up their cause.
5 The hungry eat their harvest, and they take it even out of the thorns; and the thirsty pant after their wealth.
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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.
6 For misery does not come from the earth, nor does trouble sprout from the ground;
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For evil does not come out of the dust, or trouble out of the earth;
7 but human beings are born to trouble just as sparks fly upward.
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But trouble is man's fate from birth, as the flames go up from the fire.
8 "As for me, I would seek God, and to God I would commit my cause.
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But as for me, I would make my prayer to God, and I would put my cause before him:
9 He does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number.
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Who does great things outside our knowledge, wonders without number:
10 He gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields;
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Who gives rain on the earth, and sends water on the fields:
11 he sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
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Lifting up those who are low, and putting the sad in a safe place;
12 He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.
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Who makes the designs of the wise go wrong, so that they are unable to give effect to their purposes.
13 He takes the wise in their own craftiness; and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.
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He takes the wise in their secret designs, and the purposes of the twisted are cut off suddenly.
14 They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope at noonday as in the night.
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In the daytime it becomes dark for them, and in the sunlight they go feeling about as if it was night.
15 But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth, from the hand of the mighty.
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But he keeps safe from their sword those who have no father, and the poor from the power of the strong.
16 So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.
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So the poor man has hope, and the mouth of the evil-doer is stopped.
17 "How happy is the one whom God reproves; therefore do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
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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.
18 For he wounds, but he binds up; he strikes, but his hands heal.
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For after his punishment he gives comfort, and after wounding, his hands make you well.
19 He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no harm shall touch you.
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He will keep you safe from six troubles, and in seven no evil will come near you.
20 In famine he will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.
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When there is need of food he will keep you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.
21 You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and shall not fear destruction when it comes.
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He will keep you safe from the evil tongue; and you will have no fear of wasting when it comes.
22 At destruction and famine you shall laugh, and shall not fear the wild animals of the earth.
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You will make sport of destruction and need, and will have no fear of the beasts of the earth.
23 For you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the wild animals shall be at peace with you.
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For you will be in agreement with the stones of the earth, and the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.
24 You shall know that your tent is safe, you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.
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And you will be certain that your tent is at peace, and after looking over your property you will see that nothing is gone.
25 You shall know that your descendants will be many, and your offspring like the grass of the earth.
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You will be certain that your seed will be great, and your offspring like the plants of the earth.
26 You shall come to your grave in ripe old age, as a shock of grain comes up to the threshing floor in its season.
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You will come to your last resting-place in full strength, as the grain is taken up to the crushing-floor in its time.
27 See, we have searched this out; it is true. Hear, and know it for yourself."
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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.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.