⁴ I am a laughingstock to my^[b] friends,
by calling on God, who answers me.^[c]
The righteous and blameless man is a laughingstock.^(B)
5 The one who is at ease^(C) holds calamity in contempt
and thinks it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping.
⁶ The tents of robbers are safe,^(D)
and those who trouble God are secure;
God holds them in his hands.^[d](E)

⁷ But ask the animals, and they will instruct you;
ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.^(F)
8 Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you;
let the fish of the sea inform you.
⁹ Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?^(G)
10 The life of every living thing is in his hand,
as well as the breath of all humanity.^(H)
11 Doesn’t the ear test words
as the palate tastes food?
¹² Wisdom is found with the elderly,
and understanding comes with long life.^(I)

¹³ Wisdom and strength belong to God;
counsel and understanding are his.^(J)
14 Whatever he tears down cannot be rebuilt;
whoever he imprisons cannot be released.^(K)
15 When he withholds water, everything dries up,
and when he releases it, it destroys the land.^(L)
16 True wisdom and power belong to him.
The deceived and the deceiver are his.
¹⁷ He leads counselors away barefoot
and makes judges go mad.^(M)
18 He releases the bonds^[e] put on by kings^(N)
and fastens a belt around their waists.
¹⁹ He leads priests away barefoot
and overthrows established leaders.^(O)
20 He deprives trusted advisers of speech
and takes away the elders’ good judgment.
²¹ He pours out contempt on nobles
and disarms^[f] the strong.
²² He reveals mysteries from the darkness
and brings the deepest darkness into the light.^(P)
23 He makes nations great, then destroys them;
he enlarges nations,^(Q) then leads them away.
²⁴ He deprives the world’s leaders of reason,
and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.^(R)
25 They grope around in darkness without light;
he makes them stagger like a drunkard.^(S)

13 Look, my eyes have seen all this;
my ears^(T) have heard and understood it.
² Everything you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.^(U)
3 Yet I prefer to speak to the Almighty
and argue my case before God.^(V)
4 You use lies like plaster;
you are all worthless healers.^(W)
5 If only you would shut up
and let that be your wisdom!

⁶ Hear now my argument,
and listen to my defense.^[g]
7 Would you testify unjustly on God’s behalf
or speak deceitfully for him?
⁸ Would you show partiality^(X) to him
or argue the case in his defense?
⁹ Would it go well if he examined you?
Could you deceive him as you would deceive a man?^(Y)
10 Surely he would rebuke you
if you secretly showed partiality.
¹¹ Would God’s majesty not terrify you?^(Z)
Would his dread not fall on you?
¹² Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ash;^(AA)
your defenses are made of clay.

¹³ Be quiet,^[h] and I will speak.
Let whatever comes happen to me.
¹⁴ I will put^[i] myself at risk^[j]
and take my life in my own hands.
¹⁵ Even if he kills me, I will hope in him.^[k]
I will still defend^(AB) my ways before him.
¹⁶ Yes, this will result in my deliverance,
for no godless person^(AC) can appear before him.
¹⁷ Pay close attention to my words;
let my declaration ring in your ears.
¹⁸ Now then, I have prepared my case;^(AD)
I know that I am right.
¹⁹ Can anyone indict me?
If so, I will be silent and die.

²⁰ Only grant these two things to me, God,
so that I will not have to hide from your presence:
²¹ remove your hand from me,
and do not let your terror frighten me.^(AE)
22 Then call, and I will answer,^(AF)
or I will speak, and you can respond to me.
²³ How many iniquities^(AG) and sins have I committed?^[l]
Reveal to me my transgression and sin.
²⁴ Why do you hide your face
and consider me your enemy?^(AH)
25 Will you frighten a wind-driven leaf?
Will you chase after dry straw?
²⁶ For you record bitter accusations against me
and make me inherit the iniquities of my youth.
²⁷ You put my feet in the stocks
and stand watch over all my paths,
setting a limit for the soles^[m] of my feet.

²⁸ A person wears out like something rotten,
like a moth-eaten garment.^(AI)

14 Anyone born of woman
is short of days and full of trouble.^(AJ)
2 He blossoms like a flower, then withers;^(AK)
he flees like a shadow and does not last.
³ Do you really take notice of one like this?
Will you bring me into judgment against you?^[n](AL)
4 Who can produce something pure from what is impure?
No one!
⁵ Since a person’s days are determined
and the number of his months depends on you,
and since you have set^[o] limits he cannot pass,^(AM)
6 look away from him and let him rest
so that he can enjoy his day like a hired worker.^(AN)

⁷ There is hope for a tree:
If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its shoots will not die.
⁸ If its roots grow old in the ground
and its stump starts to die in the soil,
⁹ the scent of water makes it thrive
and produce twigs like a sapling.^(AO)
10 But a person dies and fades away;
he breathes his last—where is he?
¹¹ As water disappears from a lake
and a river becomes parched and dry,
¹² so people lie down never to rise again.
They will not wake up until the heavens are no more;^(AP)
they will not stir from their sleep.

¹³ If only you would hide me in Sheol^(AQ)
and conceal me until your anger^(AR) passes.
If only you would appoint a time for me
and then remember me.
¹⁴ When a person dies, will he come back to life?
If so, I would wait^(AS) all the days of my struggle^(AT)
until my relief comes.
¹⁵ You would call, and I would answer you.
You would long for the work of your hands.^(AU)
16 For then you would count my steps^(AV)
but would not take note^(AW) of my sin.
¹⁷ My rebellion would be sealed up in a bag,
and you would cover over my iniquity.

¹⁸ But as a mountain collapses and crumbles
and a rock is dislodged from its place,
¹⁹ as water wears away stones
and torrents wash away the soil from the land,
so you destroy a man’s hope.^(AX)
20 You completely overpower him, and he passes on;
you change his appearance and send him away.
²¹ If his sons receive honor, he does not know it;
if they become insignificant, he is unaware of it.^(AY)
22 He feels only the pain of his own body
and mourns only for himself.