² “Listen carefully to my words.
    Let this be the way you comfort me.
³ Be patient while I speak.
    After I have finished, you may continue to make fun of me if you wish.

⁴ “My complaint is not just against people.
    I have reason to be impatient.
⁵ Look at me then and be shocked.
    Put your hand over your mouth in shock.
⁶ When I think about this, I am terribly afraid.
    My body shakes!
⁷ Why do evil people live a long time?
    They grow old and become more powerful.
⁸ They see their children become strong around them.
    They watch their children grow up.
⁹ Their homes are safe and without fear.
    God does not punish them.
¹⁰ Their bulls never fail to mate.
    Their cows have healthy calves.
¹¹ Their children run and play like flocks of lambs.
    Their little ones dance about.
¹² They sing to the music of tambourines and harps.
    The sound of the flute makes them happy.
¹³ Evil people enjoy success during their lives.
    Then they go down in peace to where the dead are.
¹⁴ But they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!
    We don’t want to know your ways.
¹⁵ Who is God All-Powerful that we should serve him?
    We would gain nothing by praying to him.’
¹⁶ But the wicked think they succeed by their own strength.
    Their way of thinking is not godly.
¹⁷ Yet how often is the lamp of evil people turned off?
    How often does trouble come to them?
    How often do they suffer the punishment God plans in his anger?
¹⁸ How often are they like straw in the wind
    or like chaff that is blown away by a storm?
¹⁹ It is said, ‘God saves up a man’s punishment for the man’s children.’
    God should punish the evil person himself so he will know it.
²⁰ His eyes should see his own destruction.
    He should suffer the anger of God All-Powerful.
²¹ He does not care about the family he leaves behind
    when his life has come to an end.

²² “No one can teach knowledge to God.
    He is the one who judges even the most important people.
²³ One man dies while he still has all his strength.
    He feels completely safe and comfortable.
²⁴ His body was well fed.
    And his bones were strong and healthy.
²⁵ But another man dies with an unhappy heart.
    He never had any happiness.
²⁶ These two men are buried next to each other.
    And worms cover both of them.

²⁷ “I know very well what you are thinking.
    I know your plans to do wrong to me.
²⁸ You say about me, ‘Now where is this great man’s house?
    And where are the tents where the evil men lived?’
²⁹ You have never asked those who travel.
    You have not listened to their stories.
³⁰ On the day of God’s anger and punishment,
    it is the evil man who is spared.
³¹ Who will accuse him to his face?
    No one pays him back for the evil he has done.
³² He is carried to his grave.
    And someone keeps watch over his tomb.
³³ The dirt in the valley will seem sweet to him.
    Everybody follows after him.
    Many people go before him.

³⁴ “So you cannot comfort me with this nonsense.
    Your answers are still only lies!”