Hear
diligently
my speech
, and let this be your consolations
.
Suffer
me that I may speak
; and after
that I have spoken
, mock on
.
As for me, is my complaint
to man
? and if it were so , why should not my spirit
be troubled
?

Mark
me, and be astonished
, and lay
your hand
upon your mouth
.

Even when I remember
I am afraid
, and trembling
taketh hold on
my flesh
.
Wherefore do the wicked
live
, become old
, yea, are mighty
in power
?
Their seed
is established
in their sight
with them, and their offspring
before their eyes
.
Their houses
are safe
from fear
, neither is the rod
of God
upon them.

Their bull
gendereth
, and faileth
not; their cow
calveth
, and casteth not her calf
.
They send forth
their little ones
like a flock
, and their children
dance
.
They take
the timbrel
and harp
, and rejoice
at the sound
of the organ
.
They spend



their days
in wealth
, and in a moment
go down



to the grave
.

Therefore they say
unto God
, Depart
from us; for we desire
not the knowledge
of thy ways
.
What is the Almighty
, that we should serve
him? and what profit
should we have, if we pray
unto him?
Lo, their good
is not in their hand
: the counsel
of the wicked
is far
from me.
How oft is the candle
of the wicked
put out
! and how oft cometh
their destruction
upon them! God distributeth
sorrows
in his anger
.

They are as stubble
before
the wind
, and as chaff
that the storm
carrieth away
.

God
layeth up
his iniquity
for his children
: he rewardeth
him, and he shall know
it .

His eyes
shall see
his destruction
, and he shall drink
of the wrath
of the Almighty
.
For what pleasure
hath he in his house
after
him, when the number
of his months
is cut off in the midst
?
Shall any teach
God
knowledge
? seeing he judgeth
those that are high
.
One dieth
in his full
strength
, being wholly at ease
and quiet
.

His breasts
are full
of milk
, and his bones
are moistened
with marrow
.

And another dieth
in the bitterness
of his soul
, and never eateth
with pleasure
.
They shall lie down
alike
in the dust
, and the worms
shall cover
them.
Behold, I know
your thoughts
, and the devices
which ye wrongfully imagine
against me.
For ye say
, Where is the house
of the prince
? and where are the dwelling
places
of the wicked
?

Have ye not asked
them that go
by the way
? and do ye not know
their tokens
,
That the wicked
is reserved
to the day
of destruction
? they shall be brought forth
to the day
of wrath
.

Who shall declare
his way
to his face
? and who shall repay
him what he hath done
?
Yet shall he be brought
to the grave
, and shall remain
in the tomb
.

The clods
of the valley
shall be sweet
unto him, and every man
shall draw
after
him, as there are innumerable
before
him.
How then comfort
ye me in vain
, seeing in your answers
there remaineth
falsehood
?
