Job 5

1 “Job, [it is okay that you] continue to cry out for someone to help you, but [I am certain that] [RHQ] no angel will come to help you!

Call if you want, but who is going to answer you? Which angel are you going to turn to?

2 Foolish people die because of being (resentful/very angry at someone); people who are easily deceived are destroyed by their being jealous [of others].

Surely anger slays the fool and jealousy kills the simple.

3 I have seen foolish people who seemed to be successful/prosperous, but suddenly [they experienced disaster/trouble because] someone cursed their home.

I have seen a fool growing strong, but I immediately cursed his house.

4 Their sons are never safe; they (lose their case/are condemned) when someone (takes them to court/sues them), because there is no one to defend them.

His sons are never safe; they are crushed in court with no one to defend them.

5 Hungry people [steal] the crops that foolish people harvest, [and] eat [those crops]; they even steal the crops that grow among thorns, and greedy people take away the wealth of foolish people.

The hungry eat everything he has harvested, taking even that protected by a thorn hedge, while others look to steal his wealth.

6 But evil circumstances/sufferings are not produced by the soil; troubles do not grow up from the ground.

For evil doesn't come from the dust; neither does trouble grow from the earth.

7 People have troubles from the time that they are born just as surely as sparks shoot up [from a fire].

But human beings are born for trouble just as certainly as sparks from a fire fly upwards.

8 [“If I were suffering like you are, ] I would ask God [for help] and tell him (what I am complaining about/about my suffering).

If it were me, I would go to God and put my case before him.

9 He does great things, things that we cannot understand; we cannot even count the marvelous things that he does.

He is the one who does amazing, incredible things; miracles that can't be counted!

10 He sends rain on the ground; he sends water on our fields.

He gives rain to the earth and sends water to the fields.

11 He exalts those who are humble, and causes those who mourn to be joyful (OR, safe, prosperous).

He exalts the humble, and rescues those who mourn.

12 He causes crafty/cunning people to not be able to do what they plan to do, with the result that they achieve nothing.

He frustrates the plans of the cunning so that they are unsuccessful.

13 He causes people who [think that they] [IRO] are wise to be trapped by the cunning things they try to do, with the result that they do not succeed.

He traps the wise in their own clever thinking, and the schemes of twisted people are cut short.

14 [It is as though] even in the daytime they are covered by darkness, and grope around [trying to find the road] at noontime like people do at night.

In the daytime they're in the dark, and they stumble around at noon like it's night.

15 But God saves helpless people from being harmed by what [wicked people] say [MTY], he saves needy people from being injured by [MTY] powerful people.

But God is the one who saves from their cutting remarks, and the poor from the actions of the powerful.

16 So, poor people confidently expect [that good things will happen to them] but God causes wicked [people] to stop talking.

As a result those who are helpless have hope, and the wicked have to shut their mouths!

17 “But those whom God corrects/rebukes are happy; so do not despise/dislike it when [God] who is all-powerful disciplines you.

See how happy is the person God corrects—so don't despise the Almighty's discipline.

18 He wounds people, but then he puts bandages on those wounds; he hurts people, but he [SYN] also heals them.

For he causes pain but he provides relief; he wounds but his hands heal.

19 He will rescue you many times from your troubles, with the result that nothing evil will happen to you.

He will save you from many disasters; a multitude of evils will not affect you.

20 When there is a famine, he will not allow you to die, and when there is a war, you will not be killed [MTY].

In times of famine he will rescue you from death, and in times of war he will save you from the power of the sword.

21 God will protect you when people slander [MTY] you; you will not be afraid when many things [around you] are destroyed.

You will be protected from sharp-tongued slander; and when violence comes you will not be afraid.

22 You will [be able to] laugh/scoff when things are destroyed and when there is famine, and you will not be afraid of wild animals.

You will laugh at violence and famine; you won't be afraid of wild animals—

23 You will not worry about [having big] rocks in your fields [that will make plowing difficult], and you will not worry about [being attacked by] wild animals there.

for you will be at peace with the stones of the field and the wild animals will be at peace with you.

24 In your tent, you will know that things will go well for you, and when you look at your livestock, you will see that (they are all there/none of them is missing).

You will be certain that your home is safe, for you will go to where you live and find nothing missing.

25 You will be sure that you will have many descendants, who will be as numerous as blades of grass.

You will also be sure that you will have many children; your descendants will be like the grass of the earth.

26 You will become very old before you die, like sheaves of grain continue to grow until it is time to harvest them.

You will live to a ripe old age like a sheaf of grain when it is harvested.

27 [“My friends and I] have thought carefully about these things, and [we know that] they are true, so pay attention to what I have said!”

Look, we've examined it, and it's true! Listen to what I'm saying and apply it to yourself!”