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16 The wicked thrive[a] before the sun,
    and their shoots spread over the garden.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 8.16 Heb He thrives

16 They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine,
    spreading its shoots(A) over the garden;(B)

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11 it sent out its branches to the sea
    and its shoots to the River.

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11 Its branches reached as far as the Sea,[a]
    its shoots as far as the River.[b](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 80:11 Probably the Mediterranean
  2. Psalm 80:11 That is, the Euphrates

16 The Lord once called you, “A green olive tree, fair with goodly fruit,” but with the roar of a great tempest he will set fire to it, and its branches will be consumed.(A)

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16 The Lord called you a thriving olive tree(A)
    with fruit beautiful in form.
But with the roar of a mighty storm
    he will set it on fire,(B)
    and its branches will be broken.(C)

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For I was envious of the arrogant;
    I saw the prosperity of the wicked.(A)

For they have no pain;
    their bodies are sound and sleek.
They are not in trouble as others are;
    they are not plagued like other people.(B)
Therefore pride is their necklace;
    violence covers them like a garment.(C)
Their eyes swell out with fatness;
    their hearts overflow with follies.(D)
They scoff and speak with malice;
    loftily they threaten oppression.(E)
They set their mouths against heaven,
    and their tongues range over the earth.

10 Therefore the people turn and praise them[a]
    and find no fault in them.[b]
11 And they say, “How can God know?
    Is there knowledge in the Most High?”(F)
12 Such are the wicked;
    always at ease, they increase in riches.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 73.10 Cn: Heb his people return here
  2. 73.10 Cn: Heb abundant waters are drained by them

For I envied(A) the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.(B)

They have no struggles;
    their bodies are healthy and strong.[a]
They are free(C) from common human burdens;
    they are not plagued by human ills.
Therefore pride(D) is their necklace;(E)
    they clothe themselves with violence.(F)
From their callous hearts(G) comes iniquity[b];
    their evil imaginations have no limits.
They scoff, and speak with malice;(H)
    with arrogance(I) they threaten oppression.(J)
Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
    and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them
    and drink up waters in abundance.[c]
11 They say, “How would God know?
    Does the Most High know anything?”

12 This is what the wicked are like—
    always free of care,(K) they go on amassing wealth.(L)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 73:4 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text struggles at their death; / their bodies are healthy
  2. Psalm 73:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew Their eyes bulge with fat
  3. Psalm 73:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.

35 I have seen the wicked oppressing
    and towering like a cedar of Lebanon.[a](A)
36 Again I[b] passed by, and they were no more;
    though I sought them, they could not be found.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 37.35 Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 37.36 Gk Syr Jerome: Heb he

35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
    flourishing(A) like a luxuriant native tree,
36 but he soon passed away and was no more;
    though I looked for him, he could not be found.(B)

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Why do the wicked live on,
    reach old age, and grow mighty in power?(A)
Their children are established in their presence
    and their offspring before their eyes.(B)
Their houses are safe from fear,
    and no rod of God is upon them.(C)
10 Their bull breeds without fail;
    their cow calves and never miscarries.(D)
11 They send out their little ones like a flock,
    and their children dance around.
12 They sing to the tambourine and the lyre
    and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.(E)
13 They spend their days in prosperity,
    and in peace they go down to Sheol.(F)
14 They say to God, ‘Leave us alone!
    We do not desire to know your ways.(G)
15 What is the Almighty,[a] that we should serve him?
    And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’(H)

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Footnotes

  1. 21.15 Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

Why do the wicked live on,
    growing old and increasing in power?(A)
They see their children established around them,
    their offspring before their eyes.(B)
Their homes are safe and free from fear;(C)
    the rod of God is not on them.(D)
10 Their bulls never fail to breed;
    their cows calve and do not miscarry.(E)
11 They send forth their children as a flock;(F)
    their little ones dance about.
12 They sing to the music of timbrel and lyre;(G)
    they make merry to the sound of the pipe.(H)
13 They spend their years in prosperity(I)
    and go down to the grave(J) in peace.[a](K)
14 Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!(L)
    We have no desire to know your ways.(M)
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
    What would we gain by praying to him?’(N)

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Footnotes

  1. Job 21:13 Or in an instant

I have seen fools taking root,
    but suddenly I cursed their dwelling.(A)

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I myself have seen(A) a fool taking root,(B)
    but suddenly(C) his house was cursed.(D)

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