| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1“Call out now; Is there anyone who will answer you? And to which of the holy ones will you turn? | 1Call out if you please. Will anyone answer you? Which of the holy ones will you turn to? |
| 2For wrath kills a foolish man, And envy slays a simple one. | 2For anger kills a fool, and jealousy slays the gullible. |
| 3I have seen the foolish taking root, But suddenly I cursed his dwelling place. | 3I have seen a fool taking root, but I immediately pronounced a curse on his home. |
| 4His sons are far from safety, They are crushed in the gate, And there is no deliverer. | 4His children are far from safety. They are crushed at the city gate, with no one to rescue them. |
| 5Because the hungry eat up his harvest, Taking it even from the thorns, And a snare snatches their substance. | 5The hungry consume his harvest, even taking it out of the thorns. The thirsty pant for his children's wealth. |
| 6For affliction does not come from the dust, Nor does trouble spring from the ground; | 6For distress does not grow out of the soil, and trouble does not sprout from the ground. |
| 7Yet man is born to trouble, As the sparks fly upward. | 7But mankind is born for trouble as surely as sparks fly upward. |
| 8“But as for me, I would seek God, And to God I would commit my cause— | 8However, if I were you, I would appeal to God and would present my case to Him. |
| 9Who does great things, and unsearchable, Marvelous things without number. | 9He does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number. |
| 10He gives rain on the earth, And sends waters on the fields. | 10He gives rain to the earth and sends water to the fields. |
| 11He sets on high those who are lowly, And those who mourn are lifted to safety. | 11He sets the lowly on high, and mourners are lifted to safety. |
| 12He frustrates the devices of the crafty, So that their hands cannot carry out their plans. | 12He frustrates the schemes of the crafty so that they achieve no success. |
| 13He catches the wise in their own craftiness, And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them. | 13He traps the wise in their craftiness so that the plans of the deceptive are quickly brought to an end. |
| 14They meet with darkness in the daytime, And grope at noontime as in the night. | 14They encounter darkness by day, and they grope at noon as if it were night. |
| 15But He saves the needy from the sword, From the mouth of the mighty, And from their hand. | 15He saves the needy from their sharp words and from the clutches of the powerful. |
| 16So the poor have hope, And injustice shuts her mouth. | 16So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth. |
| 17“Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. | 17See how happy the man is God corrects; so do not reject the discipline of the Almighty. |
| 18For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole. | 18For He crushes but also binds up; He strikes, but His hands also heal. |
| 19He shall deliver you in six troubles, Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you. | 19He will rescue you from six calamities; no harm will touch you in seven. |
| 20In famine He shall redeem you from death, And in war from the power of the sword. | 20In famine He will redeem you from death, and in battle, from the power of the sword. |
| 21You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes. | 21You will be safe from slander and not fear destruction when it comes. |
| 22You shall laugh at destruction and famine, And you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth. | 22You will laugh at destruction and hunger and not fear the animals of the earth. |
| 23For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field, And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you. | 23For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you. |
| 24You shall know that your tent is in peace; You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss. | 24You will know that your tent is secure, and nothing will be missing when you inspect your home. |
| 25You shall also know that your descendants shall be many, And your offspring like the grass of the earth. | 25You will also know that your offspring will be many and your descendants like the grass of the earth. |
| 26You shall come to the grave at a full age, As a sheaf of grain ripens in its season. | 26You will approach the grave in full vigor, as a stack of sheaves is gathered in its season. |
| 27Behold, this we have searched out; It is true. Hear it, and know for yourself.” | 27We have investigated this, and it is true! Hear it and understand it for yourself. |
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