² “I know that you can do all things;^(A)
    no purpose of yours can be thwarted.^(B)
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’^(C)
    Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me to know.^(D)

⁴ “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.’^(E)
5 My ears had heard of you^(F)
    but now my eyes have seen you.^(G)

² Why do the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”^(A)
3 Our God is in heaven;^(B)
    he does whatever pleases him.^(C)

⁶ Seek^(A) the Lord while he may be found;^(B)
    call^(C) on him while he is near.
⁷ Let the wicked forsake^(D) their ways
    and the unrighteous their thoughts.^(E)
Let them turn^(F) to the Lord, and he will have mercy^(G) on them,
    and to our God, for he will freely pardon.^(H)

⁸ “For my thoughts^(I) are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”^(J)
declares the Lord.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,^(K)
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.^(L)
10 As the rain^(M) and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,^(N)
    so that it yields seed^(O) for the sower and bread for the eater,^(P)
11 so is my word^(Q) that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,^(R)
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose^(S) for which I sent it.