² 
“Therefore my disquieting thoughts make me answer,
Because of the uneasiness that is within me.
³ 
“I have heard the reproof which insults me,
But the spirit of my understanding makes me answer.
⁴ 
“Do you not know this from the old days,
Since the time that man was placed on the earth,
⁵ 
That the triumphing of the wicked is short,
And the joy of the godless is only for a moment?^(A)
6 
“Though his pride reaches the heavens
And his head touches the clouds,
⁷ 
Yet he perishes forever like his own refuse;
Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
⁸ 
“He flies away like a dream and cannot be found;
Yes, he is chased away like a vision of the night.
⁹ 
“The eye which saw him sees him no longer,
Neither does his [accustomed] place behold him any longer.
¹⁰ 
“His sons favor the poor [and pay his obligations],
And his hands give back his [ill-gotten] wealth.
¹¹ 
“His bones are full of youthful strength
But it lies down with him in the dust.

¹² 
“Though evil and wickedness are sweet in his mouth
And he hides it under his tongue,
¹³ 
Though he desires it and will not let it go
But holds it in his mouth,
¹⁴ 
Yet his food turns [to poison] in his stomach;
It is the venom of vipers within him.
¹⁵ 
“He swallows [his ill-gotten] riches,
But will vomit them up;
God will drive them out of his belly.
¹⁶ 
“He sucks the poison of vipers [which ill-gotten wealth contains];
The viper’s tongue slays him.
¹⁷ 
“He does not look at the rivers,
The flowing streams of honey and butter [to enjoy his wealth].
¹⁸ 
“He gives back what he has labored for and attained
And cannot swallow it [down to enjoy it];
As to the riches of his labor,
He cannot even enjoy them.
¹⁹ 
“For he has oppressed and neglected the poor;
He has violently taken away houses which he did not build.

²⁰ 
“Because he knew no quietness or calm within him [because of his greed],
He does not retain anything he desires.
²¹ 
“There is nothing left of what he devoured;
Therefore his prosperity does not endure.
²² 
“In the fullness of his excess (great abundance) he will be in trouble;
The hand of everyone who suffers will come against him [he is miserable on every side].
²³ 
“When he fills his belly,
God will send His fierce anger on him
And will rain it upon him while he is eating.^(B)
24 
“He may flee from the iron weapon,
But the bow of bronze will pierce him through.
²⁵ 
“The arrow is drawn forth and it comes out of his back [after passing through his body];
Yes, the glittering point comes out of his gall.
Terrors march in upon him;
²⁶ 
Complete darkness (misfortune) is held in reserve for his treasures.
An unfanned fire will devour him;
It will consume the survivor in his tent.
²⁷ 
“The heavens will reveal his wickedness and guilt,
And the earth will rise up against him.
²⁸ 
“The produce and increase of his house will depart [with the victors];
His possessions will be dragged away in the day of God’s wrath.
²⁹ 
“This is the wicked man’s portion from God,
And the heritage decreed and appointed to him by God.”