² Does a wise man answer with empty^[a] counsel^(A)
or fill himself^[b] with the hot east wind?
³ Should he argue^(B) with useless talk
or with words that serve no good purpose?
⁴ But you even undermine the fear of God
and hinder meditation before Him.
⁵ Your iniquity^(C) teaches you what to say,
and you choose the language of the crafty.
⁶ Your own mouth condemns you, not I;
your own lips testify against you.^(D)

⁷ Were you the first person ever born,
or were you brought forth before the hills?^(E)
8 Do you listen in on the council of God,
or have a monopoly on wisdom?^(F)
9 What do you know that we don’t?
What do you understand that is not clear to us?
¹⁰ Both the gray-haired and the elderly are with us,
men older than your father.
¹¹ Are God’s consolations not enough for you,
even the words that deal gently with you?
¹² Why has your heart misled you,
and why do your eyes flash
¹³ as you turn your anger^[c] against God
and allow such words to leave your mouth?

¹⁴ What is man, that he should be pure,^(G)
or one born of woman, that he should be righteous?
¹⁵ If God puts no trust in His holy ones^(H)
and the heavens are not pure in His sight,^(I)
16 how much less one who is revolting and corrupt,^(J)
who drinks injustice^(K) like water?

¹⁷ Listen to me and I will inform you.
I will describe what I have seen,
¹⁸ what was declared by wise men
and was not suppressed by their ancestors,^(L)
19 the land was given to them alone
when no foreigner passed among them.
²⁰ A wicked man writhes in pain all his days;
only a few^[d] years are reserved for the ruthless.
²¹ Dreadful sounds fill his ears;
when he is at peace, a robber attacks him.
²² He doesn’t believe he will return from darkness;
he is destined for the sword.^(M)
23 He wanders about for food, saying, “Where is it?”
He knows the day of darkness is at hand.
²⁴ Trouble^(N) and distress terrify him,
overwhelming him like a king prepared for battle.
²⁵ For he has stretched out his hand^(O) against God
and has arrogantly opposed the Almighty.
²⁶ He rushes headlong at Him
with his thick, studded shields.
²⁷ Though his face is covered with fat^[e]
and his waistline bulges with it,
²⁸ he will dwell in ruined cities,
in abandoned houses destined to become piles of rubble.^(P)
29 He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure.
His possessions^[f] will not increase in the land.
³⁰ He will not escape from the darkness;
flames will wither his shoots,
and by the breath of God’s mouth, he will depart.^(Q)
31 Let him not put trust in worthless things, being led astray,
for what he gets in exchange will prove worthless.
³² It will be accomplished before his time,
and his branch will not flourish.
³³ He will be like a vine that drops its unripe grapes^(R)
and like an olive tree that sheds its blossoms.
³⁴ For the company of the godless^(S) will have no children,
and fire will consume the tents of those who offer bribes.
³⁵ They conceive trouble^(T) and give birth to evil;
their womb^(U) prepares deception.^(V)