² “How long will you say these things,
    and the words of your mouth be a ^(B)great wind?
^3 (C)Does God pervert justice?
    Or does the Almighty pervert the right?
⁴ If your ^(D)children have sinned against him,
    he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression.
⁵ If you will seek God
    and ^(E)plead with the Almighty for mercy,
⁶ if you are pure and upright,
    surely then he will ^(F)rouse himself for you
    and ^(G)restore your rightful habitation.
⁷ And though your beginning was small,
    ^(H)your latter days will be very great.

⁸ “For ^(I)inquire, please, of bygone ages,
    and consider what ^(J)the fathers have searched out.
⁹ For we are but of yesterday and know nothing,
    for our days on earth are ^(K)a shadow.
¹⁰ Will they not teach you and tell you
    and utter words out of their understanding?

¹¹ “Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh?
    Can reeds flourish where there is no water?
¹² While yet in flower and not cut down,
    they ^(L)wither before any other plant.
¹³ Such are the paths of all who ^(M)forget God;
    ^(N)the hope of ^(O)the godless shall perish.
¹⁴ His confidence is severed,
    and his trust is ^(P)a spider's web.^[a]
15 He leans against his ^(Q)house, but it does not stand;
    he lays hold of it, but it does not endure.
¹⁶ He is a lush plant before the sun,
    and his ^(R)shoots spread over his garden.
¹⁷ His roots entwine the stone heap;
    he looks upon a house of stones.
¹⁸ If he is destroyed from his ^(S)place,
    then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have never ^(T)seen you.’
¹⁹ Behold, this is the joy of his way,
    and out of ^(U)the soil others will spring.

²⁰ “Behold, God will not reject a blameless man,
    nor take the hand of evildoers.
²¹ He will yet ^(V)fill your mouth with laughter,
    and your lips with shouting.
²² Those who hate you will be ^(W)clothed with shame,
    and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”