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Eliphaz: God is Correcting You

“Cry out now! Will anyone answer you?
    To which of the holy ones will you turn?
For resentment kills a fool,
    and envy slays the simple.
I myself have seen a fool taking root,
    but suddenly I cursed his dwelling.
His sons are far from safety,
    and crushed at the gate without a deliverer!
The hungry consumes his harvest,
    taking it even from among thorns,
    and the thirsty pants after their wealth.
For evil does not come from the dust,
    nor does trouble sprout from the ground.
Yet man is born for trouble,
    as surely as sparks fly upward.
But as for me, I would seek God;
    I would lay my cause before God.
Who does great things beyond comprehension,
    wonders without number.
10 Who gives rain to the earth
    and sends water over the plains.
11 Who places the lowly on high
    and lifts mourners to salvation.
12 Who frustrates the plans of the crafty,
    so that their hands attain no success.
13 Who catches the clever in their craftiness,
    and thwarts the plan of the cunning.
14 By day they encounter darkness
    and grope at noon as if it were night.
15 But He saves the needy from the sword of their mouth,
    and from the clutches of the mighty.
16 So the helpless have hope
    and injustice shuts its mouth.

17 Behold, happy is the one whom God corrects,
    so do not despise the discipline of Shaddai.
18 For He inflicts pain, but He also binds up;
He injures, yet His hands also heal.
19 From six calamities He will deliver you,
    even 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.
21 You will be hidden from the lash of the tongue,
    and not fear when violence comes.
22 You will laugh at violence and famine,
    and will not fear the beasts of the earth.
23 For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field,
    and the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.
24 You will know shalom in your tent,
    and you will take stock of your home
    and find nothing missing.

25 “You will know that
    your descendants will be numerous
    your offspring like the grass of the earth.
26 You will come to the grave in vigor,
    like sheaves of grain in its season.
27 Behold, we have investigated this—it is true.
Hear it, and apply it to yourself!”

“Call if you will, but who will answer you?(A)
    To which of the holy ones(B) will you turn?
Resentment(C) kills a fool,
    and envy slays the simple.(D)
I myself have seen(E) a fool taking root,(F)
    but suddenly(G) his house was cursed.(H)
His children(I) are far from safety,(J)
    crushed in court(K) without a defender.(L)
The hungry consume his harvest,(M)
    taking it even from among thorns,
    and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
For hardship does not spring from the soil,
    nor does trouble sprout from the ground.(N)
Yet man is born to trouble(O)
    as surely as sparks fly upward.

“But if I were you, I would appeal to God;
    I would lay my cause before him.(P)
He performs wonders(Q) that cannot be fathomed,(R)
    miracles that cannot be counted.(S)
10 He provides rain for the earth;(T)
    he sends water on the countryside.(U)
11 The lowly he sets on high,(V)
    and those who mourn(W) are lifted(X) to safety.
12 He thwarts the plans(Y) of the crafty,
    so that their hands achieve no success.(Z)
13 He catches the wise(AA) in their craftiness,(AB)
    and the schemes of the wily are swept away.(AC)
14 Darkness(AD) comes upon them in the daytime;
    at noon they grope as in the night.(AE)
15 He saves the needy(AF) from the sword in their mouth;
    he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.(AG)
16 So the poor(AH) have hope,
    and injustice shuts its mouth.(AI)

17 “Blessed is the one whom God corrects;(AJ)
    so do not despise the discipline(AK) of the Almighty.[a](AL)
18 For he wounds, but he also binds up;(AM)
    he injures, but his hands also heal.(AN)
19 From six calamities he will rescue(AO) you;
    in seven no harm will touch you.(AP)
20 In famine(AQ) he will deliver you from death,
    and in battle from the stroke of the sword.(AR)
21 You will be protected from the lash of the tongue,(AS)
    and need not fear(AT) when destruction comes.(AU)
22 You will laugh(AV) at destruction and famine,(AW)
    and need not fear the wild animals.(AX)
23 For you will have a covenant(AY) with the stones(AZ) of the field,
    and the wild animals will be at peace with you.(BA)
24 You will know that your tent is secure;(BB)
    you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.(BC)
25 You will know that your children will be many,(BD)
    and your descendants like the grass of the earth.(BE)
26 You will come to the grave in full vigor,(BF)
    like sheaves gathered in season.(BG)

27 “We have examined this, and it is true.
    So hear it(BH) and apply it to yourself.”(BI)

Footnotes

  1. Job 5:17 Hebrew Shaddai; here and throughout Job