³ Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed,^(G)
    and the ears^(H) of those who hear will listen.
⁴ The fearful heart will know and understand,^(I)
    and the stammering tongue^(J) will be fluent and clear.
⁵ No longer will the fool^(K) be called noble
    nor the scoundrel be highly respected.
⁶ For fools speak folly,^(L)
    their hearts are bent on evil:^(M)
They practice ungodliness^(N)
    and spread error^(O) concerning the Lord;
the hungry they leave empty^(P)
    and from the thirsty they withhold water.
⁷ Scoundrels use wicked methods,^(Q)
    they make up evil schemes^(R)
to destroy the poor with lies,
    even when the plea of the needy^(S) is just.^(T)
8 But the noble make noble plans,
    and by noble deeds^(U) they stand.^(V)

² Lord, be gracious^(BK) to us;
    we long for you.
Be our strength^(BL) every morning,
    our salvation^(BM) in time of distress.^(BN)
3 At the uproar of your army,^(BO) the peoples flee;^(BP)
    when you rise up,^(BQ) the nations scatter.
⁴ Your plunder,^(BR) O nations, is harvested^(BS) as by young locusts;^(BT)
    like a swarm of locusts people pounce on it.

⁵ The Lord is exalted,^(BU) for he dwells on high;^(BV)
    he will fill Zion with his justice^(BW) and righteousness.^(BX)
6 He will be the sure foundation for your times,
    a rich store of salvation^(BY) and wisdom and knowledge;
    the fear^(BZ) of the Lord is the key to this treasure.^[a](CA)

⁷ Look, their brave men^(CB) cry aloud in the streets;
    the envoys^(CC) of peace weep bitterly.
⁸ The highways are deserted,
    no travelers^(CD) are on the roads.^(CE)
The treaty is broken,^(CF)
    its witnesses^[b] are despised,
    no one is respected.
⁹ The land dries up^(CG) and wastes away,
    Lebanon^(CH) is ashamed and withers;^(CI)
Sharon^(CJ) is like the Arabah,
    and Bashan^(CK) and Carmel^(CL) drop their leaves.

¹⁰ “Now will I arise,^(CM)” says the Lord.
    “Now will I be exalted;^(CN)
    now will I be lifted up.
¹¹ You conceive^(CO) chaff,
    you give birth^(CP) to straw;
    your breath is a fire^(CQ) that consumes you.
¹² The peoples will be burned to ashes;^(CR)
    like cut thornbushes^(CS) they will be set ablaze.^(CT)”

¹³ You who are far away,^(CU) hear^(CV) what I have done;
    you who are near, acknowledge my power!
¹⁴ The sinners^(CW) in Zion are terrified;
    trembling^(CX) grips the godless:
“Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire?^(CY)
    Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?”
¹⁵ Those who walk righteously^(CZ)
    and speak what is right,^(DA)
who reject gain from extortion^(DB)
    and keep their hands from accepting bribes,^(DC)
who stop their ears against plots of murder
    and shut their eyes^(DD) against contemplating evil—
¹⁶ they are the ones who will dwell on the heights,^(DE)
    whose refuge^(DF) will be the mountain fortress.^(DG)
Their bread will be supplied,
    and water will not fail^(DH) them.

¹⁷ Your eyes will see the king^(DI) in his beauty^(DJ)
    and view a land that stretches afar.^(DK)
18 In your thoughts you will ponder the former terror:^(DL)
    “Where is that chief officer?
Where is the one who took the revenue?
    Where is the officer in charge of the towers?^(DM)”
¹⁹ You will see those arrogant people^(DN) no more,
    people whose speech is obscure,
    whose language is strange and incomprehensible.^(DO)

²⁰ Look on Zion,^(DP) the city of our festivals;
    your eyes will see Jerusalem,
    a peaceful abode,^(DQ) a tent^(DR) that will not be moved;^(DS)
its stakes will never be pulled up,
    nor any of its ropes broken.
²¹ There the Lord will be our Mighty^(DT) One.
    It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams.^(DU)
No galley with oars will ride them,
    no mighty ship^(DV) will sail them.
²² For the Lord is our judge,^(DW)
    the Lord is our lawgiver,^(DX)
the Lord is our king;^(DY)
    it is he who will save^(DZ) us.

²³ Your rigging hangs loose:
    The mast is not held secure,
    the sail is not spread.
Then an abundance of spoils will be divided
    and even the lame^(EA) will carry off plunder.^(EB)
24 No one living in Zion will say, “I am ill”;^(EC)
    and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven.^(ED)

15 A gentle answer^(A) turns away wrath,^(B)
    but a harsh word stirs up anger.

² The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge,^(C)
    but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.^(D)

³ The eyes^(E) of the Lord are everywhere,^(F)
    keeping watch on the wicked and the good.^(G)

⁴ The soothing tongue^(H) is a tree of life,^(I)
    but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.^(J)

⁵ A fool spurns a parent’s discipline,
    but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.^(K)

⁶ The house of the righteous contains great treasure,^(L)
    but the income of the wicked brings ruin.^(M)

⁷ The lips of the wise spread knowledge,^(N)
    but the hearts of fools are not upright.

⁸ The Lord detests the sacrifice^(O) of the wicked,^(P)
    but the prayer of the upright pleases him.^(Q)

⁹ The Lord detests the way of the wicked,^(R)
    but he loves those who pursue righteousness.^(S)

¹⁰ Stern discipline awaits anyone who leaves the path;
    the one who hates correction will die.^(T)

¹¹ Death and Destruction^[a] lie open before the Lord^(U)—
    how much more do human hearts!^(V)

¹² Mockers resent correction,^(W)
    so they avoid the wise.

¹³ A happy heart makes the face cheerful,^(X)
    but heartache crushes the spirit.^(Y)

¹⁴ The discerning heart seeks knowledge,^(Z)
    but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.

¹⁵ All the days of the oppressed are wretched,
    but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.^(AA)

¹⁶ Better a little with the fear of the Lord
    than great wealth with turmoil.^(AB)

¹⁷ Better a small serving of vegetables with love
    than a fattened calf with hatred.^(AC)

¹⁸ A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict,^(AD)
    but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.^(AE)

¹⁹ The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns,^(AF)
    but the path of the upright is a highway.

²⁰ A wise son brings joy to his father,^(AG)
    but a foolish man despises his mother.

²¹ Folly brings joy to one who has no sense,^(AH)
    but whoever has understanding keeps a straight course.

²² Plans fail for lack of counsel,^(AI)
    but with many advisers^(AJ) they succeed.^(AK)

²³ A person finds joy in giving an apt reply^(AL)—
    and how good is a timely word!^(AM)

²⁴ The path of life leads upward for the prudent
    to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead.

²⁵ The Lord tears down the house of the proud,^(AN)
    but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.^(AO)

²⁶ The Lord detests the thoughts^(AP) of the wicked,^(AQ)
    but gracious words are pure^(AR) in his sight.

²⁷ The greedy bring ruin to their households,
    but the one who hates bribes will live.^(AS)

²⁸ The heart of the righteous weighs its answers,^(AT)
    but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.^(AU)

²⁹ The Lord is far from the wicked,
    but he hears the prayer of the righteous.^(AV)