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The Discipline of the Almighty

¹ "Call now, is there anyone who will answer you?
And to which of the ^(C1)holy ones will you turn?

² "For ^(C1)vexation kills the ignorant fool,
And jealousy puts to death the simple.

³ "I have seen the ^(C1)ignorant fool taking root,
And I ^(C2)cursed his abode suddenly.

⁴ "His ^(C1)sons are far from salvation,
They are even crushed in the gate,
And there is no deliverer.

⁵ "^(F1)His harvest the hungry devour
And take it to a place of thorns,
And the ^(F2)(C1)schemer pants after their wealth.

⁶ "For ^(C1)wickedness does not come out from the dust,
Nor does trouble sprout from the ground,

⁷ For ^(C1)man is born for trouble,
As ^(F1)sparks fly upward.

⁸ "But as for me, I would ^(C1)seek God,
And I would set my cause before God,

⁹ Who ^(C1)does great and unsearchable things,
^(F1)Wonders without number.

¹⁰ "He ^(C1)gives rain on the earth
And sends water on the fields outside,

¹¹ So that ^(C1)He sets on high those who are lowly,
And those who mourn are lifted to salvation.

¹² "He ^(C1)frustrates the thoughts of the crafty,
So that their hands cannot attain success of sound wisdom.

¹³ "He ^(C1)catches the wise by their own craftiness,
And the counsel of the twisted is quickly thwarted.

¹⁴ "By day they ^(C1)meet with darkness
And grope at noon as in the night.

¹⁵ "But He saves from ^(C1)the sword of their mouth,
And ^(C2)the needy from the hand of the strong.

¹⁶ "So the poor has hope,
And ^(C1)unrighteousness must shut its mouth.

¹⁷ "Behold, how ^(C1)blessed is the man whom God reproves,
So do not reject the ^(C2)discipline of the ^(F1)Almighty.

¹⁸ "For ^(C1)He inflicts pain and ^(F1)gives relief;
He ^(F2)wounds, and His hands also heal.

¹⁹ "^(F1)From six distresses ^(C1)He will deliver you,
Even in seven ^(C2)evil will not touch you.

²⁰ "In ^(C1)famine He will redeem you from death,
And ^(C2)in war from hands with swords.

²¹ "You will be ^(C1)hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
^(C2)And you will not be afraid of devastation when it comes.

²² "You will ^(C1)laugh at devastation and starvation,
^(C2)And you will not be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

²³ "For your covenant will be with the stones of the field,
And ^(C1)the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.

²⁴ "You will know that your ^(C1)tent is at peace,
For you will visit your abode and fear no loss.

²⁵ "You will know also that your ^(C1)seed will be many,
And ^(C2)your offspring as the vegetation of the land.

²⁶ "You will ^(C1)come to the grave in full vigor,
Like the stacking of grain in its season.

²⁷ "Behold this; we have investigated it, and so it is.
Hear it, and know for yourself."