12 “Now a word awas brought to me stealthily,

And my ear received a bwhisper of it.

13 “Amid disquieting athoughts from the visions of the night,

When deep sleep falls on men,

14 Dread came upon me, and trembling,

And made 1all my bones shake.

15 “Then a 1spirit passed by my face;

The hair of my flesh bristled up.

16 “It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance;

A form was before my eyes;

There was silence, then I heard a voice:

17 ‘Can amankind be just 1before God?

Can a man be pure 1before his bMaker?

18 ‘aHe puts no trust even in His servants;

And against His angels He charges error.

19 ‘How much more those who dwell in ahouses of clay,

Whose bfoundation is in the dust,

Who are crushed before the moth!

20 ‘aBetween morning and evening they are broken in pieces;

Unobserved, they bperish forever.

21 ‘Is not their atent-cord plucked up within them?

They die, yet bwithout wisdom.’

Chapter 5

God Is Just

1 “Call now, is there anyone who will answer you?

And to which of the aholy ones will you turn?

2 “For aanger slays the foolish man,

And jealousy kills the simple.

3 “I have seen the afoolish taking root,

And I bcursed his abode immediately.

4 “His asons are far from safety,

They are even 1oppressed in the gate,

And there is no deliverer.

5 “1His harvest the hungry devour

And take it to a place of thorns,

And the 2aschemer is eager for their wealth.

6 “For aaffliction does not come from the dust,

Nor does trouble sprout from the ground,

7 For aman is born for trouble,

As sparks fly upward.