2 

“Can man offer God any insight,

so that a sage should be of use to him?

3 

Has the Almighty any interest in your goodness?

Does he gain by your blameless life?

4 

Why should he punish you for your religion,

and pass sentence on you?

5 

Grave must your guilt be,

endless your sins.

6 

You have fleeced your fellows selfishly,

and stripped your debtors to the skin;

7 

you have not given the weary any water,

the hungry you have starved;

9 

you have sent widows away empty-handed,

you have been oppressing orphans,

8 

to let the powerful hold the land,

to let squires settle down.

10 

Therefore it is that snares close on you,

and panic fear is scaring you;

11 

therefore has your light turned to darkness,

and floods have overwhelmed you.

12 

Is not God high in heaven?

Does he not look down on the topmost star?

13 

And yet you say, ‘God never notices!

Can he rule through the darkness dense?

14 

He moves on the high vault of heaven;

he cannot see us for the clouds that veil him.’

15 

Is that the line you choose,

the line that evil men took long ago?

16 

They came to an untimely end;

when the floods undermined them,

19 

good men rejoiced to see their fate,

and over them the guiltless jeered,

20 

shouting, ‘Our* foes are now effaced,

and what they leave the flames will bum!’

21 

Give way to God, submit to him,

and it will mean prosperity for you;

22 

accept the orders that he issues,

take his words to heart.

23 

If you turn humbly to the Almighty,

and banish evil from your home,

24 

[[if you will throw your treasures to the ground,

and fling your gold of Ophir in the stream,

25 

and make the Almighty himself your treasure,

sound wisdom your wealth,]]

26 

then the Almighty shall be a joy to you,

and you can raise your eyes to God;

27 

when you pray, he will answer you,

and then you can fulfil your vows to him;

28 

whatever you plan shall prosper,

and you shall live in sunshine;

29 

for he humbles haughty upstarts,

and he helps the lowly,

30 

he saves those who are guiltless,

rescuing them for their unspotted record.”