2 Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your tanechumot (consolations).

3 Bear with me that I may speak; and achar (after) that I have spoken, mock on.

4 As for me, is my complaint to adam (mortals)? Or why should my ruach not become impatient?

5 Look at me, and be astonished, and lay your yad upon your peh (mouth).

6 Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my basar.

7 Madu'a (why) do the resha'im live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?

8 Their zera is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.

9 Their batim (houses) are shalom from pachad; neither is the shevet Eloah upon them.

10 Their shor (bull) breeds, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and doth not miscarry her calf.

11 They send forth their little ones like a tzon, and their yeladim jump about.

12 They sing to the tambourine and kinnor, and rejoice at the sound of the flute.

13 They spend their yamim in tov, and in a moment go down to Sheol.

14 Therefore they say unto El, Depart from us; for we desire not the da'as of Thy ways.

15 What is Shaddai, that we should serve Him? And what profit should we have, if we importune Him?

16 Lo, their tov is not in their yad; the etzah (counsel, scheme) of the resha'im is far from me.

17 How oft is the ner (light) of the resha'im put out! And how oft cometh their destruction upon them and He distributeth pains in His anger.

18 They are as straw before the ruach, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.

19 Eloah layeth up his iniquity for his banim; He payeth him back, and he shall know it.

20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of Shaddai.

21 For what pleasure hath he in his bais after him, when the mispar (number) of his months is cut off?

22 Shall any teach El da'as, seeing He judgeth those that are on high?

23 Zeh (this one) dieth in his full prosperity, being wholly at ease and secure.

24 His troughs are full of cholov, and his atzmot are moistened with marrow.

25 And another dieth in the marah (bitterness) of his nefesh, and never eateth with pleasure.

26 They shall lie down alike in the aphar, and the worms shall cover them.

27 Behold, I know your machshevot, and the stratagems which ye wrongfully imagine against me.

28 For ye say, Where is the bais of the tyrant? And where are the ohel mishkenot of the resha'im?

29 Have ye not asked them that travel the derech? And do ye not accept their testimony,

30 That the rah is spared in the yom eid (day of calamity)? They shall be rescued in the yom avarot (day of wrath).

31 Who shall declare his derech to his face? And who shall repay him what he hath done?

32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the gadish (gravemound).

33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and kol adam shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.

34 How then comfort ye me with hevel (empty nothings), seeing in your answers there is nothing left but falsehood?