20AND [THE] EYES OF WICKED [PEOPLE] THEY WILL FAIL AND A PLACE OF ESCAPE IT WILL BE LOST FROM THEM AND HOPE THEIR [WILL BE] A GASP OF LIFE 20But the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape will elude them; they will hope for their last breath
2TRULY THAT YOU [ARE THE] PEOPLE AND WITH YOU IT WILL DIE WISDOM 2“Truly then you are the people with whom wisdom itself will die!
3ALSO [BELONGS] TO ME A HEART LIKE YOU NOT [AM] FALLING I MORE THAN YOU AND WITH WHOM? [ARE] THERE NOT LIKE THESE [THINGS] 3But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?
4A LAUGHINGSTOCK TO FRIEND HIS I AM [ONE WHO] CALLED TO GOD AND HE ANSWERED HIM [IS] A LAUGHINGSTOCK A RIGHTEOUS [PERSON] A BLAMELESS [PERSON] 4I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.
5[BELONGS] TO <THE> DISASTER CONTEMPT TO [THE] THOUGHT OF [ONE] AT EASE A PUSH [BELONGS] TO [THOSE WHO] ARE SLIDING OF FOOT 5The one at ease scorns misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
6THEY ARE AT PEACE [THE] TENTS OF DESTROYERS AND SECURITI<ES> [BELONG] TO PROVOKERS OF GOD TO [THOSE] WHOM HE HAS BROUGHT GOD IN HAND HIS 6The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure— those who carry their god in their hands.*NoteCloseOr though God keeps them in His power
7AND BUT ASK PLEASE [THE] ANIMALS SO IT MAY TEACH YOU AND [THE] BIRD[S] OF THE HEAVENS SO IT MAY TELL TO YOU 7But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you.
8OR COMPLAIN TO THE EARTH SO IT MAY TEACH YOU AND THEY MAY RECOUNT TO YOU [THE] FISH OF THE SEA 8Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.
9WHO? NOT DOES IT KNOW AMONG ALL THESE FOR [THE] HAND OF YAHWEH IT HAS DONE THIS 9Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?
10[HE] WHOM [IS] IN HAND HIS [THE] LIFE OF EVERY LIVING [THING] AND [THE] BREATH OF ALL FLESH OF HUMANKIND 10The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.
11¿ NOT AN EAR WORDS DOES IT TEST AND A PALATE FOOD IT TASTES <FOR> ITSELF 11Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes its food?
12[IS] WITH AGED [PEOPLE] WISDOM AND [IS WITH] LENGTH OF DAYS UNDERSTANDING 12Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.
13[ARE] WITH HIM WISDOM AND MIGHT [BELONG] TO HIM COUNSEL AND UNDERSTANDING 13Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.
14THERE! HE TEARS DOWN AND NOT IT WILL BE REBUILT HE SHUTS ON A PERSON AND NOT IT WILL BE OPENED 14What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.
15THERE! HE HOLDS BACK <IN> THE WATERS SO THEY MAY BE DRY AND HE LETS LOOSE THEM AND THEY MAY DEVASTATE [THE] EARTH 15If He holds back the waters, they dry up, and if He releases them, they overwhelm the land.
16[ARE] WITH HIM STRENGTH AND SOUND WISDOM [BELONG] TO HIM [ONE WHO] GOES ASTRAY AND [ONE WHO] LEADS ASTRAY 16True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His.
17[HE IS] LEADING AWAY COUNSELORS BAREFOOT AND JUDGES HE MAKES LOOK FOOLISH 17He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.
18[THE] CORRECTION OF KINGS HE LOOSENS AND HE BOUND A LOINCLOTH ON LOINS THEIR 18He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists.
19[HE IS] LEADING AWAY PRIESTS BAREFOOT AND [PEOPLE] LONG ESTABLISHED HE OVERTURNS 19He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established.
20[HE IS] REMOVING A LIP OF TRUSTED [ONES] AND [THE] DISCERNMENT OF ELDERS HE TAKES AWAY 20He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.
21[HE IS] POURING CONTEMPT ON NOBLE [PEOPLE] AND [THE] BELT OF STRONG PEOPLE HE LOOSENS 21He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.
22[HE IS] REVEALING UNFATHOMABLE [THINGS] FROM DARKNESS AND HE BROUGHT OUT TO THE LIGHT DEEP DARKNESS 22He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light.
23[HE IS] MAKING GREAT <TO> THE NATIONS AND HE DESTROYED THEM [HE IS] SPREADING OUT <TO> THE NATIONS AND HE LED THEM 23He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them.
24[HE IS] REMOVING [THE] HEART OF [THE] LEADERS OF [THE] PEOPLE OF THE EARTH AND HE MADE WANDER THEM IN A WASTELAND NOT A PATH 24He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.
25THEY GROPE DARKNESS AND NOT LIGHT AND HE MADE WANDER THEM LIKE <THE> DRUNKARD 25They grope in the darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunkards. [’’]