¹“Call now; is there any who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?

¹Råb kun! Giver nogen dig Svar? Og til hvem af de Hellige vender du dig?

²For resentment kills the foolish man, and jealousy kills the simple.

²Thi Dårens Harme koster ham Livet, Tåbens Vrede bliver hans Død.

³I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation.

³Selv har jeg set en Dåre rykkes op, hans Bolig rådne brat;

⁴His children are far from safety. They are crushed in the gate. Neither is there any to deliver them,

⁴hans Sønner var uden Hjælp, trådtes ned i Porten, ingen reddede dem;

⁵whose harvest the hungry eats up, and take it even out of the thorns. The snare gapes for their substance.

⁵sultne åd deres Høst, de tog den, selv mellem Torne, og tørstige drak deres Mælk.

⁶For affliction doesn’t come forth from the dust, neither does trouble spring out of the ground;

⁶Thi Vanheld vokser ej op af Støvet, Kvide spirer ej frem af Jorden,

⁷but man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

⁷men Mennesket avler Kvide, og Gnisterne flyver til Vejrs.

⁸“But as for me, I would seek God. I would commit my cause to God,

⁸Nej, jeg vilde søge til Gud og lægge min Sag for ham,

⁹who does great things that can’t be fathomed, marvelous things without number;

⁹som øver ufattelig Vælde og Undere uden Tal,

¹⁰who gives rain on the earth, and sends waters on the fields;

¹⁰som giver Regn på Jorden og nedsender Vand over Marken

¹¹so that he sets up on high those who are low, those who mourn are exalted to safety.

¹¹for at løfte de bøjede højt, så de sørgende opnår Frelse,

¹²He frustrates the devices of the crafty, So that their hands can’t perform their enterprise.

¹²han, som krydser de kloges Tanker, så de ikke virker noget, der varer,

¹³He takes the wise in their own craftiness; the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.

¹³som fanger de vise i deres Kløgt, så de listiges Råd er forhastet;

¹⁴They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope at noonday as in the night.

¹⁴i Mørke raver de, selv om Dagen, famler ved Middag, som var det Nat.

¹⁵But he saves from the sword of their mouth, even the needy from the hand of the mighty.

¹⁵Men han frelser den arme fra Sværdet og fattig af stærkes Hånd,

¹⁶So the poor has hope, and injustice shuts her mouth.

¹⁶så der bliver Håb for den ringe og Ondskaben lukker sin Mund.

¹⁷“Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects. Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.

¹⁷Held den Mand, som revses at Gud; ringeagt ej den Almægtiges Tugt!

¹⁸For he wounds, and binds up. He injures, and his hands make whole.

¹⁸Thi han sårer, og han forbinder, han slår, og hans Hænder læger.

¹⁹He will deliver you in six troubles; yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.

¹⁹Seks Gange redder han dig i Trængsel, syv går Ulykken uden om dig;

²⁰In famine he will redeem you from death; in war, from the power of the sword.

²⁰han frier dig fra Døden i Hungersnød, i Krig fra Sværdets Vold;

²¹You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, neither shall you be afraid of destruction when it comes.

²¹du er gemt for Tungens Svøbe, har intet at frygte, når Voldsdåd kommer;

²²At destruction and famine you shall laugh, neither shall you be afraid of the animals of the earth.

²²du ler ad Voldsdåd og Hungersnød og frygter ej Jordens vilde dyr;

²³For you shall be allied with the stones of the field. The animals of the field shall be at peace with you.

²³du har Pagt med Markens Sten, har Fred med Markens Vilddyr;

²⁴You shall know that your tent is in peace. You shall visit your fold, and shall miss nothing.

²⁴du kender at have dit Telt i Fred, du mønstrer din Bolig, og intet fattes;

²⁵You shall know also that your seed shall be great, Your offspring as the grass of the earth.

²⁵du kender at have et talrigt Afkom, som Jordens Urter er dine Spirer;

²⁶You shall come to your grave in a full age, like a shock of grain comes in its season.

²⁶Graven når du i Ungdomskraft, som Neg føres op, når Tid er inde.

²⁷Look this, we have searched it, so it is. Hear it, and know it for your good.”

²⁷Se, det har vi gransket, således er det; det har vi hørt, så vid også du det!