¹⁷ “Listen to me and I will explain to you;
    let me tell you what I have seen,^(A)
18 what the wise have declared,
    hiding nothing received from their ancestors^(B)
19 (to whom alone the land^(C) was given
    when no foreigners moved among them):
²⁰ All his days the wicked man suffers torment,^(D)
    the ruthless man through all the years stored up for him.^(E)
21 Terrifying sounds fill his ears;^(F)
    when all seems well, marauders attack him.^(G)
22 He despairs of escaping the realm of darkness;^(H)
    he is marked for the sword.^(I)
23 He wanders about^(J) for food like a vulture;^(K)
    he knows the day of darkness^(L) is at hand.^(M)
24 Distress and anguish^(N) fill him with terror;^(O)
    troubles overwhelm him, like a king^(P) poised to attack,
²⁵ because he shakes his fist^(Q) at God
    and vaunts himself against the Almighty,^(R)

² “When will you end these speeches?^(B)
    Be sensible, and then we can talk.
³ Why are we regarded as cattle^(C)
    and considered stupid in your sight?^(D)
4 You who tear yourself^(E) to pieces in your anger,^(F)
    is the earth to be abandoned for your sake?
    Or must the rocks be moved from their place?^(G)

⁵ “The lamp of a wicked man is snuffed out;^(H)
    the flame of his fire stops burning.^(I)
6 The light in his tent^(J) becomes dark;^(K)
    the lamp beside him goes out.^(L)
7 The vigor^(M) of his step is weakened;^(N)
    his own schemes^(O) throw him down.^(P)
8 His feet thrust him into a net;^(Q)
    he wanders into its mesh.
⁹ A trap seizes him by the heel;
    a snare^(R) holds him fast.^(S)
10 A noose^(T) is hidden for him on the ground;
    a trap^(U) lies in his path.^(V)
11 Terrors^(W) startle him on every side^(X)
    and dog^(Y) his every step.
¹² Calamity^(Z) is hungry^(AA) for him;
    disaster^(AB) is ready for him when he falls.^(AC)
13 It eats away parts of his skin;^(AD)
    death’s firstborn devours his limbs.^(AE)
14 He is torn from the security of his tent^(AF)
    and marched off to the king^(AG) of terrors.^(AH)
15 Fire resides^[a] in his tent;^(AI)
    burning sulfur^(AJ) is scattered over his dwelling.
¹⁶ His roots dry up below^(AK)
    and his branches wither above.^(AL)
17 The memory of him perishes from the earth;^(AM)
    he has no name^(AN) in the land.^(AO)
18 He is driven from light into the realm of darkness^(AP)
    and is banished^(AQ) from the world.^(AR)
19 He has no offspring^(AS) or descendants^(AT) among his people,
    no survivor^(AU) where once he lived.^(AV)
20 People of the west are appalled^(AW) at his fate;^(AX)
    those of the east are seized with horror.
²¹ Surely such is the dwelling^(AY) of an evil man;^(AZ)
    such is the place^(BA) of one who does not know God.”^(BB)