2Hear[H8085]diligently[H8085] my speech[H4405], and let this be your consolations[H8575].
3Suffer[H5375] me that I may speak[H1696]; and after[H310] that I have spoken[H1696], mock on[H3932].
4
As for me, is my complaint[H7879] to man?[H120] and if it were so, why should not my spirit[H7307] be troubled?[H7114]
5Mark[H6437] me, and be astonished[H8074], and lay[H7760] your hand[H3027] upon your mouth[H6310].
6
Even when I remember[H2142] I am afraid[H926], and trembling[H6427] taketh hold on[H270] my flesh[H1320].
7
Wherefore do the wicked[H7563]live[H2421], become old[H6275], yea, are mighty[H1396] in power?[H2428]
8
Their seed[H2233] is established[H3559] in their sight[H6440] with them, and their offspring[H6631] before their eyes[H5869].
9
Their houses[H1004] are safe[H7965] from fear[H6343], neither is the rod[H7626] of God[H433] upon them.
10
Their bull[H7794]gendereth[H5674], and faileth[H1602] not; their cow[H6510]calveth[H6403], and casteth not her calf[H7921].
11
They send forth[H7971] their little ones[H5759] like a flock[H6629], and their children[H3206]dance[H7540].
12
They take[H5375] the timbrel[H8596] and harp[H3658], and rejoice[H8055] at the sound[H6963] of the organ[H5748].
13
They spend[H3615] their days[H3117] in wealth[H2896], and in a moment[H7281] go down[H2865] to the grave[H7585].
14
Therefore they say[H559] unto God[H410], Depart[H5493] from us; for we desire[H2654] not the knowledge[H1847] of thy ways[H1870].
15
What is the Almighty[H7706], that we should serve[H5647] him? and what profit[H3276] should we have, if we pray[H6293] unto him?
16
Lo, their good[H2898] is not in their hand[H3027]: the counsel[H6098] of the wicked[H7563] is far[H7368] from me.
17
How oft is the candle[H5216] of the wicked[H7563] put out[H1846]! and how oft cometh[H935] their destruction[H343] upon them! God distributeth[H2505]sorrows[H2256] in his anger[H639].
18
They are as stubble[H8401]before[H6440] the wind[H7307], and as chaff[H4671] that the storm[H5492] carrieth away[H1589].
19God[H433] layeth up[H6845] his iniquity[H205] for his children[H1121]: he rewardeth[H7999] him, and he shall know[H3045] it.
20
His eyes[H5869] shall see[H7200] his destruction[H3589], and he shall drink[H8354] of the wrath[H2534] of the Almighty[H7706].
21
For what pleasure[H2656] hath he in his house[H1004]after[H310] him, when the number[H4557] of his months[H2320] is cut off in the midst?[H2686]
22
Shall any teach[H3925]God[H410]knowledge?[H1847] seeing he judgeth[H8199] those that are high[H7311].
23
One dieth[H4191] in his full[H8537]strength[H6106], being wholly at ease[H7946] and quiet[H7961].
24
His breasts[H5845] are full[H4390] of milk[H2461], and his bones[H6106] are moistened[H8248] with marrow[H4221].
25
And another dieth[H4191] in the bitterness[H4751] of his soul[H5315], and never eateth[H398] with pleasure[H2896].
26
They shall lie down[H7901]alike[H3162] in the dust[H6083], and the worms[H7415] shall cover[H3680] them.
27
Behold, I know[H3045] your thoughts[H4284], and the devices[H4209] which ye wrongfully imagine[H2554] against me.
28
For ye say[H559], Where is the house[H1004] of the prince?[H5081] and where are the dwelling[H4908]places[H168] of the wicked?[H7563]
29
Have ye not asked[H7592] them that go[H5674] by the way?[H1870] and do ye not know[H5234] their tokens[H226],
30
That the wicked[H7451] is reserved[H2820] to the day[H3117] of destruction?[H343] they shall be brought forth[H2986] to the day[H3117] of wrath[H5678].
31
Who shall declare[H5046] his way[H1870] to his face?[H6440] and who shall repay[H7999] him what he hath done?[H6213]
32
Yet shall he be brought[H2986] to the grave[H6913], and shall remain[H8245] in the tomb[H1430].
33
The clods[H7263] of the valley[H5158] shall be sweet[H4985] unto him, and every man[H120] shall draw[H4900]after[H310] him, as there are innumerable[H4557]before[H6440] him.
34
How then comfort[H5162] ye me in vain[H1892], seeing in your answers[H8666] there remaineth[H7604]falsehood?[H4604]