⁸ “Please ^(H)ask of past generations,
And establish the things searched out by their fathers.
⁹ For we are only of yesterday and know nothing,
Because ^(I)our days on earth are but a shadow.
¹⁰ Will they not instruct you and tell you,
And bring forth words from their hearts?

¹¹ “Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh?
Can the rushes grow without water?
¹² While it is still green and not cut down,
Yet it dries up before any other ^[d]plant.
¹³ So are the paths of ^(J)all who forget God;
And the ^(K)hope of the godless will perish,
¹⁴ Whose confidence is fragile,
And whose trust a ^(L)spider’s ^[e]web.
¹⁵ He relies on his ^(M)house, but it does not stand;
He holds fast to it, but it is not established.
¹⁶ He ^[f](N)thrives before the sun,
And his ^(O)shoots go forth over his garden.
¹⁷ His roots wrap around a rock pile;
He looks upon a house of stones.
¹⁸ If He swallows him up from ^(P)his place,
Then it will deny him, saying, ‘^(Q)I never saw you.’
¹⁹ Behold, ^(R)this is the joy of ^[g]His way;
And out of the dust others will spring.
²⁰ Behold, ^(S)God will not reject a blameless man,
Nor ^(T)will He strengthen the hand of the evildoers.
²¹ He will yet fill ^(U)your mouth with laughter
And your lips with shouting.
²² Those who hate you will be ^(V)clothed with shame,
And the ^(W)tent of the wicked will be no longer.”