⁴ “Surely you know how it has been from of old,^(A)
    ever since mankind^[a] was placed on the earth,
⁵ that the mirth of the wicked^(B) is brief,
    the joy of the godless^(C) lasts but a moment.^(D)
6 Though the pride^(E) of the godless person reaches to the heavens^(F)
    and his head touches the clouds,^(G)
7 he will perish forever,^(H) like his own dung;
    those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’^(I)
8 Like a dream^(J) he flies away,^(K) no more to be found,
    banished^(L) like a vision of the night.^(M)
9 The eye that saw him will not see him again;
    his place will look on him no more.^(N)
10 His children^(O) must make amends to the poor;
    his own hands must give back his wealth.^(P)
11 The youthful vigor^(Q) that fills his bones^(R)
    will lie with him in the dust.^(S)

¹² “Though evil^(T) is sweet in his mouth
    and he hides it under his tongue,^(U)
13 though he cannot bear to let it go
    and lets it linger in his mouth,^(V)
14 yet his food will turn sour in his stomach;^(W)
    it will become the venom of serpents^(X) within him.
¹⁵ He will spit out the riches^(Y) he swallowed;
    God will make his stomach vomit^(Z) them up.
¹⁶ He will suck the poison^(AA) of serpents;
    the fangs of an adder will kill him.^(AB)
17 He will not enjoy the streams,
    the rivers^(AC) flowing with honey^(AD) and cream.^(AE)
18 What he toiled for he must give back uneaten;^(AF)
    he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.^(AG)
19 For he has oppressed the poor^(AH) and left them destitute;^(AI)
    he has seized houses^(AJ) he did not build.

²⁰ “Surely he will have no respite from his craving;^(AK)
    he cannot save himself by his treasure.^(AL)
21 Nothing is left for him to devour;
    his prosperity will not endure.^(AM)
22 In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him;^(AN)
    the full force of misery will come upon him.^(AO)
23 When he has filled his belly,^(AP)
    God will vent his burning anger^(AQ) against him
    and rain down his blows on him.^(AR)
24 Though he flees^(AS) from an iron weapon,
    a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him.^(AT)
25 He pulls it out of his back,
    the gleaming point out of his liver.
Terrors^(AU) will come over him;^(AV)
26     total darkness^(AW) lies in wait for his treasures.
A fire^(AX) unfanned will consume him^(AY)
    and devour what is left in his tent.^(AZ)
27 The heavens will expose his guilt;
    the earth will rise up against him.^(BA)
28 A flood will carry off his house,^(BB)
    rushing waters^[b] on the day of God’s wrath.^(BC)
29 Such is the fate God allots the wicked,
    the heritage appointed for them by God.”^(BD)

¹¹ They send forth their children as a flock;^(A)
    their little ones dance about.
¹² They sing to the music of timbrel and lyre;^(B)
    they make merry to the sound of the pipe.^(C)
13 They spend their years in prosperity^(D)
    and go down to the grave^(E) in peace.^[a](F)
14 Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!^(G)
    We have no desire to know your ways.^(H)
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
    What would we gain by praying to him?’^(I)

¹⁶ Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
    when the splendor of their houses increases;
¹⁷ for they will take nothing^(A) with them when they die,
    their splendor will not descend with them.^(B)
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—^(C)
    and people praise you when you prosper—