² “How long will you say such things?
    Your words are no more than a strong wind.
³ God does not twist fairness.
    God All-Powerful does not make wrong what is right.
⁴ Your children sinned against God.
    And he punished them for their sins.
⁵ But you should ask God for help.
    Pray to God All-Powerful for mercy.
⁶ You must be good and honest.
    Then he will start doing something for you.
    And he will bring you back where you belong.
⁷ The place you began will seem unimportant
    because your future will be so successful.

⁸ “Ask old people
    and find out what their ancestors learned.
⁹ We were only born yesterday and know nothing.
    Our days on earth are like only a shadow.
¹⁰ Those people will teach you and tell you.
    They will tell you what they know.
¹¹ Papyrus plants cannot grow tall where there is no wet land.
    Reeds cannot grow tall without water.
¹² While they are still growing and not yet cut,
    they will dry up more quickly than grass.
¹³ That is what will happen to everyone who forgets God.
    The hope of the person without God will be gone.
¹⁴ What he trusts in is easily broken.
    It is as easily broken as a spider’s web.
¹⁵ He leans on the spider’s web, but it breaks.
    He holds on to it, but it does not hold him up.
¹⁶ He is like a well-watered plant in the sunshine.
    The plant spreads its roots all through the garden.
¹⁷ It wraps its roots around a pile of rocks.
    And it looks for a place among the stones.
¹⁸ But the plant may be torn from its place.
    Then that place rejects it and says, ‘I never saw you.’
¹⁹ Then its life dries up.
    And other plants grow up from the dirt in its place.

²⁰ “Surely God does not reject innocent men.
    He does not give strength to those who do evil.
²¹ God will yet fill your mouth with laughter.
    And he will fill your lips with shouts of joy.
²² Your enemies will be covered in shame.
    And the tents of the wicked will be gone.”