Job 5

₁Job, call out for help

and see if an angel comes!

₂Envy and jealousy

will kill a stupid fool.

₃I have seen fools take root.

But God sends a curse,

suddenly uprooting them

₄and leaving their children

helpless in court.

₅Then hungry and greedy people

gobble up their crops

and grab their wealth.

₆Our suffering isn't caused

by the failure of crops;

₇it's all part of life,

like sparks shooting skyward.

₈Job, if I were you,

I would ask God for help.

₉His miracles are marvellous,

more than we can count.

₁₀God sends showers on earth

and waters the fields.

₁₁He protects the sorrowful

and lifts up those

who have been disgraced.

_12-13God swiftly traps the wicked

in their own evil schemes,

and their wisdom fails.

₁₄Darkness is their only companion,

hiding their path at midday.

₁₅God rescues the needy

from the words of the wicked

and the fist of the mighty.

₁₆The poor are filled with hope,

and injustice is silenced.

₁₇Consider yourself fortunate

if God All-Powerful

chooses to correct you.

₁₈He may cause injury and pain,

but he will bandage and heal

your cuts and bruises.

₁₉God will protect you from harm,

no matter how often

trouble may strike.

₂₀In times of war and famine,

God will keep you safe.

₂₁You will be sheltered,

without fear of hurtful words

or any other weapon.

₂₂You will laugh at the threat

of destruction and famine.

And you won't be afraid

of wild animals—

₂₃they will no longer be fierce,

and your rocky fields

will become friendly.

₂₄Your home will be secure,

and your sheep will be safe.

₂₅You will have more descendants

than there are blades of grass

on the face of the earth.

₂₆You will live a long life,

and your body will be strong

until the day you die.

₂₇Our experience has proved

these things to be true,

so listen and learn.