Of

The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure—those who carry their god in their hands.

But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you.

Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.

Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?

Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?

The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.

The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.

He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.

He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.

He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.

He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light.

He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.

Hear now my argument, and listen to the plea of my lips.

Would His majesty not terrify you? Would the dread of Him not fall upon you?

Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.

Your maxims are proverbs of ashes; your defenses are defenses of clay.

For You record bitter accusations against me and bequeath to me the iniquities of my youth.

You put my feet in the stocks and stand watch over all my paths; You set a limit for the soles of my feet.

“Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble.

“Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble.

“Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble.

Since his days are determined and the number of his months is with You, and since You have set limits that he cannot exceed,

…at the scent of water it will bud and put forth twigs like a sapling.

When a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait, until my renewal comes.

You will call, and I will answer; You will desire the work of Your hands.

For then You would count my steps, but would not keep track of my sin.

He feels only the pain of his own body and mourns only for himself.”

But you even undermine the fear of God and hinder meditation before Him.

For your iniquity instructs your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.

Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself?

Are the consolations of God not enough for you, even words spoken gently to you?

What is man, that he should be pure, or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?

Sounds of terror fill his ears; in his prosperity the destroyer attacks him.

He despairs of his return from darkness; he is marked for the sword.

He wanders about as food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.

He will not escape from the darkness; the flame will wither his shoots, and the breath of God’s mouth will carry him away.

He will be like a vine stripped of its unripe grapes, like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.

For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.

For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.

But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation of my lips would bring relief.

God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked.

…yet my hands are free of violence and my prayer is pure.

For when only a few years are past I will go the way of no return.

If a man denounces his friends for a price, the eyes of his children will fail.

But come back and try again, all of you. For I will not find a wise man among you.

My days have passed; my plans are broken off—even the desires of my heart.

They have turned night into day, making light seem near in the face of darkness.

Will it go down to the gates of Sheol? Will we go down together into the dust?”

Indeed, the lamp of the wicked is extinguished; the flame of his fire does not glow.

Indeed, the lamp of the wicked is extinguished; the flame of his fire does not glow.

It devours patches of his skin; the firstborn of death devours his limbs.

It devours patches of his skin; the firstborn of death devours his limbs.

He is torn from the shelter of his tent and is marched off to the king of terrors.

He is torn from the shelter of his tent and is marched off to the king of terrors.

The memory of him perishes from the earth, and he has no name in the land.

Surely such is the dwelling of the wicked and the place of one who does not know God.”

Surely such is the dwelling of the wicked and the place of one who does not know God.”

He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head.

My skin and flesh cling to my bones; I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.

Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me.

Why do you persecute me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh?

If you say, ‘Let us persecute him, since the root of the matter lies with him,’

“So my anxious thoughts compel me to answer, because of the turmoil within me.

…the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary?

…the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary?

His sons will seek the favor of the poor, for his own hands must return his wealth.

…yet in his stomach his food sours into the venom of cobras within him.

He will suck the poison of cobras; the fangs of a viper will kill him.

He will suck the poison of cobras; the fangs of a viper will kill him.

He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading.

He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming it; he cannot enjoy the profits of his trading.

In the midst of his plenty, he will be distressed; the full force of misery will come upon him.

In the midst of his plenty, he will be distressed; the full force of misery will come upon him.

It is drawn out of his back, the gleaming point from his liver. Terrors come over him.

The possessions of his house will be removed, flowing away on the day of God’s wrath.

The possessions of his house will be removed, flowing away on the day of God’s wrath.

Their homes are safe from fear; no rod of punishment from God is upon them.

…singing to the tambourine and lyre and making merry at the sound of the flute.

Still, their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.

How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come upon them? Does God, in His anger, apportion destruction?

Let his eyes see his own destruction; let him drink for himself the wrath of the Almighty.

For what does he care about his household after him, when the number of his months has run out?

One man dies full of vigor, completely secure and at ease.

Yet another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, having never tasted prosperity.

Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, delivered from the day of wrath.

Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of calamity, delivered from the day of wrath.

The clods of the valley are sweet to him; everyone follows behind him, and those before him are without number.

So how can you comfort me with empty words? For your answers remain full of falsehood.”

“Can a man be of use to God? Can even a wise man benefit Him?

For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers and deprived the naked of their clothing.

…while the land belonged to a mighty man, and a man of honor lived on it.

You sent widows away empty-handed, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.

…it is so dark you cannot see, and a flood of water covers you.

Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us as He traverses the vault of heaven.’

But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.

…and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,

…and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,

He will deliver even one who is not innocent, rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”

Would He contend with me in His great power? No, He would certainly take note of me.

I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.