² “How long will you speak these things,
    and the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?
³ Does God pervert judgment?
    Or does the Almighty pervert justice?
⁴ If your children sinned against Him,
    He cast them away for their transgression.
⁵ If you yourself would seek God earnestly,
    and seek favor from the Almighty,
⁶ if you were pure and upright,
    surely now He would rouse Himself on your behalf,
    and He would prosper your righteous dwelling.
⁷ Though your beginning was small,
    your end will increase greatly.

⁸ “Please, ask the former generation,
    and prepare yourself for what their fathers searched out;
⁹ for we were born but yesterday and know nothing,
    because our days on earth are a shadow.
¹⁰ Will they not teach you, and tell you,
    and bring forth words out of their heart?
¹¹ Can the papyrus grow up without a marsh?
    Can the reed grow without water?
¹² While it is yet green and not cut down,
    it withers before any other plant.
¹³ So are the paths of all who forget God;
    and the hypocrite’s hope will perish,
¹⁴ whose confidence will be cut off,
    and whose trust will be a spider’s web.
¹⁵ He will lean upon his house, but it will not stand;
    he will hold it fast, but it will not endure.
¹⁶ He is green before the sun,
    and his branch shoots forth in his garden.
¹⁷ His roots are wrapped around the rock heap,
    and he sees the place of stones.
¹⁸ If he is uprooted from his place,
    then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have not seen you.’
¹⁹ See, this is the joy of his way,
    and out of the ground others will grow.

²⁰ “Surely, God will not cast away a perfect man,
    nor will He strengthen the evildoers,
²¹ until He fills your mouth with laughing,
    and your lips with rejoicing.
²² Those who hate you will be clothed with shame,
    and the dwelling place of the wicked will come to nothing.”