Jó 5

Råb kun! Giver nogen dig Svar? Og til hvem af de Hellige vender du dig?

Thi Dårens Harme koster ham Livet, Tåbens Vrede bliver hans Død.

Selv har jeg set en Dåre rykkes op, hans Bolig rådne brat;

hans Sønner var uden Hjælp, trådtes ned i Porten, ingen reddede dem;

sultne åd deres Høst, de tog den, selv mellem Torne, og tørstige drak deres Mælk.

Thi Vanheld vokser ej op af Støvet, Kvide spirer ej frem af Jorden,

men Mennesket avler Kvide, og Gnisterne flyver til Vejrs.

Nej, jeg vilde søge til Gud og lægge min Sag for ham,

som øver ufattelig Vælde og Undere uden Tal,

som giver Regn på Jorden og nedsender Vand over Marken

for at løfte de bøjede højt, så de sørgende opnår Frelse,

han, som krydser de kloges Tanker, så de ikke virker noget, der varer,

som fanger de vise i deres Kløgt, så de listiges Råd er forhastet;

i Mørke raver de, selv om Dagen, famler ved Middag, som var det Nat.

Men han frelser den arme fra Sværdet og fattig af stærkes Hånd,

så der bliver Håb for den ringe og Ondskaben lukker sin Mund.

Held den Mand, som revses at Gud; ringeagt ej den Almægtiges Tugt!

Thi han sårer, og han forbinder, han slår, og hans Hænder læger.

Seks Gange redder han dig i Trængsel, syv går Ulykken uden om dig;

han frier dig fra Døden i Hungersnød, i Krig fra Sværdets Vold;

du er gemt for Tungens Svøbe, har intet at frygte, når Voldsdåd kommer;

du ler ad Voldsdåd og Hungersnød og frygter ej Jordens vilde dyr;

du har Pagt med Markens Sten, har Fred med Markens Vilddyr;

du kender at have dit Telt i Fred, du mønstrer din Bolig, og intet fattes;

du kender at have et talrigt Afkom, som Jordens Urter er dine Spirer;

Graven når du i Ungdomskraft, som Neg føres op, når Tid er inde.

Se, det har vi gransket, således er det; det har vi hørt, så vid også du det!

Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn? {turn: or, look?}

For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one. {envy: or, indignation}

I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.

His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither {is there} any to deliver {them}.

Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.

Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; {affliction: or, iniquity}

Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. {trouble: or, labour} {sparks...: Heb. the sons of the burning coal lift up to fly}

I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:

Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number: {unsearchable: Heb. there is no search} {without...: Heb. till there be no number}

Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields: {fields: Heb. outplaces}

To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.

He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform {their} enterprise. {their enterprise: or, any thing}

He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.

They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night. {meet...: or, run into}

But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.

So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

Behold, happy {is} the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.

In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword. {power: Heb. hands}

Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh. {from...: or, when the tongue scourgeth}

At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle {shall be} in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin. {thy tabernacle...: or, peace is thy tabernacle} {sin: or, err}

Thou shalt know also that thy seed {shall be} great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth. {great: or, much}

Thou shalt come to {thy} grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season. {cometh in: Heb. ascendeth}

Lo this, we have searched it, so it {is}; hear it, and know thou {it} for thy good. {for...: Heb. for thyself}