12 Lord, are you not from everlasting?

My God, my Holy One, you will never die.

You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment;

you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish.

13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil;

you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.

Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?

Why are you silent while the wicked

swallow up those more righteous than themselves?

14 You have made people like the fish in the sea,

like the sea creatures that have no ruler.

12 Are you not from everlasting,

O Lord my God, my Holy One?

We shall not die.

O Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment,

and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof.

13 You who are of purer eyes than to see evil

and cannot look at wrong,

why do you idly look at traitors

and remain silent when the wicked swallows up

the man more righteous than he?

14 You make mankind like the fish of the sea,

like crawling things that have no ruler.

12 Art thou not from everlasting,

O Lord my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die.

O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment;

And, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.

13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil,

And canst not look on iniquity:

Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously,

And holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?

14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea,

As the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

12 O Lord my God, my Holy One, you who are eternal—

surely you do not plan to wipe us out?

O Lord, our Rock, you have sent these Babylonians to correct us,

to punish us for our many sins.

13 But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil.

Will you wink at their treachery?

Should you be silent while the wicked

swallow up people more righteous than they?

14 Are we only fish to be caught and killed?

Are we only sea creatures that have no leader?

12 Are You not from everlasting,

O Lord my God, my Holy One?

We shall not die.

O Lord, You have appointed them for judgment;

O Rock, You have marked them for correction.

13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil,

And cannot look on wickedness.

Why do You look on those who deal treacherously,

And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours

A person more righteous than he?

14 Why do You make men like fish of the sea,

Like creeping things that have no ruler over them?

12 Lord, you live forever,

my God, my holy God.

We will not die.

Lord, you have chosen the Babylonians to punish people;

our Rock, you picked them to punish.

13 Your eyes are too good to look at evil;

you cannot stand to see those who do wrong.

So how can you put up with those evil people?

How can you be quiet when the wicked swallow up people who are better than they are?

14 You treat people like fish in the sea,

like sea animals without a leader.

12 —Art thou not from everlasting, Jehovah my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. Jehovah, thou hast ordained him for judgment; and thou, O Rock, hast appointed him for correction. 13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on mischief: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and keepest silence when the wicked swalloweth up a man more righteous than he? 14 And thou makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them.

12 Didn’t you exist before time began, O Lord, my God, my Holy One? 

We will not die! 

O Lord, you have appointed the Babylonians to bring judgment. 

O Rock, you have destined them to correct us. 

13 Your eyes are too pure to look at evil. 

You can’t watch wickedness. 

Why do you keep watching treacherous people? 

Why are you silent when wicked people swallow those 

who are more righteous than they are? 

14 You make all people like the fish in the sea, 

like schools of sea life that have no ruler. 

12 Are You not from eternity, Yahweh my God?

My Holy One, You will not die.

Lord, You appointed them to execute judgment;

my Rock, You destined them to punish us.

13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil,

and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing.

So why do You tolerate those who are treacherous?

Why are You silent

while one who is wicked swallows up

one who is more righteous than himself?

14 You have made mankind

like the fish of the sea,

like marine creatures that have no ruler.

12 Are you not from of old,

O Lord my God, my Holy One?

You shall not die.

O Lord, you have marked them for judgment;

and you, O Rock, have established them for punishment.

13 Your eyes are too pure to behold evil,

and you cannot look on wrongdoing;

why do you look on the treacherous,

and are silent when the wicked swallow

those more righteous than they?

14 You have made people like the fish of the sea,

like crawling things that have no ruler.

12 Are you not from of old,

O Yahweh my God, my Holy One?

You shall not die.

O Yahweh, you have marked them for judgment;

O Rock, you have established them for reproof.

13 Your eyes are too pure to see evil,

and you are not able to look at wrongdoing.

Why do you look at the treacherous?

Why are you silent when the wicked swallows up

someone more righteous than him?

14 You make humankind like fish of the sea,

like crawling creatures that have no ruler among them.

12 Lord, haven’t you existed forever?

You are my holy God.

So we won’t die, will we?

Lord, you have appointed the Babylonians

to punish your people.

My Rock, you have chosen them to judge us.

13 Your eyes are too pure to look at what is evil.

You can’t put up with the wrong things people do.

So why do you put up

with those who can’t be trusted?

The evil Babylonians swallow up

those who are more godly than themselves.

So why are you silent?

14 You have made men as if they were only fish in the sea.

They are like sea creatures that don’t have a ruler.

12 Are You not from everlasting,

O Lord, my God, my Holy One?

We will not die.

You, O Lord, have appointed them to judge;

And You, O Rock, have established them to correct.

13 Your eyes are too pure to approve evil,

And You can not look on wickedness with favor.

Why do You look with favor

On those who deal treacherously?

Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up

Those more righteous than they?

14 Why have You made men like the fish of the sea,

Like creeping things without a ruler over them?