Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

^[a]73 Surely God is good to Israel,
Even to such as are pure in heart.
² But as for me, my feet were almost gone;
My steps had well nigh slipped.
³ For I was envious at the ^[b]arrogant,
When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
⁴ For there are no pangs in their death;
But their strength is firm.
⁵ They are not ^[c]in trouble as other men;
Neither are they plagued like other men.
⁶ Therefore pride is as a chain about their neck;
Violence covereth them as a garment.
⁷ Their eyes stand out with fatness:
^[d]They have more than heart could wish.
⁸ They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression:
They speak ^[e]loftily.
⁹ They have set their mouth ^[f]in the heavens,
And their tongue walketh through the earth.
¹⁰ Therefore ^[g]his people return hither:
And waters of a full cup are drained by them.
¹¹ And they say, How doth God know?
And is there knowledge in the Most High?
¹² Behold, these are the wicked;
And, being alway at ease, they increase in riches.
¹³ Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart,
And washed my hands in innocency;
¹⁴ For all the day long have I been plagued,
And ^[h]chastened every morning.
¹⁵ If I had said, I will speak thus;
Behold, I had dealt treacherously with the generation of thy children.
¹⁶ When I thought how I might know this,
It was ^[i]too painful for me;
¹⁷ Until I went into the sanctuary of God,
And considered their latter end.
¹⁸ Surely thou settest them in slippery places:
Thou castest them down to ^[j]destruction.
¹⁹ How are they become a desolation in a moment!
They are utterly consumed with terrors.
²⁰ As a dream when one awaketh,
So, O Lord, ^[k]when thou awakest, thou wilt despise their image.

14 Every wise woman buildeth her house;
But ^[a]the foolish plucketh it down with her own hands.
² He that walketh in his uprightness feareth Jehovah;
But he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.
³ In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his pride;
But the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
⁴ Where no oxen are, the crib is clean;
But much increase is by the strength of the ox.
⁵ A faithful witness will not lie;
But a false witness ^[b]uttereth lies.
⁶ A scoffer seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not;
But knowledge is easy unto him that hath understanding.
^7 [c]Go into the presence of a foolish man,
And thou shalt not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.
⁸ The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way;
But the folly of fools is deceit.
^9 [d]A trespass-offering mocketh fools;
But among the upright there is ^[e]good will.