Psalm 73:3–11

For I was envious of the arrogant

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For they have no pangs until death;

their bodies are fat and sleek.

They are not in trouble as others are;

they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.

Therefore pride is their necklace;

violence covers them as a garment.

Their eyes swell out through fatness;

their hearts overflow with follies.

They scoff and speak with malice;

loftily they threaten oppression.

They set their mouths against the heavens,

and their tongue struts through the earth.

Therefore his people turn back to them,

and find no fault in them.

And they say, “How can God know?

Is there knowledge in the Most High?”

For I envied the arrogant

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

They have no struggles;

their bodies are healthy and strong.

They are free from common human burdens;

they are not plagued by human ills.

Therefore pride is their necklace;

they clothe themselves with violence.

From their callous hearts comes iniquity;

their evil imaginations have no limits.

They scoff, and speak with malice;

with arrogance they threaten oppression.

Their mouths lay claim to heaven,

and their tongues take possession of the earth.

Therefore their people turn to them

and drink up waters in abundance.

They say, “How would God know?

Does the Most High know anything?”

For I envied the arrogant;

I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

They have an easy time until they die,

and their bodies are well fed.

They are not in trouble like others;

they are not afflicted like most people.

Therefore, pride is their necklace,

and violence covers them like a garment.

Their eyes bulge out from fatness;

the imaginations of their hearts run wild.

They mock, and they speak maliciously;

they arrogantly threaten oppression.

They set their mouths against heaven,

and their tongues strut across the earth.

Therefore his people turn to them

and drink in their overflowing words.

The wicked say, “How can God know?

Does the Most High know everything?”

For I envied the proud

when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.

They seem to live such painless lives;

their bodies are so healthy and strong.

They don’t have troubles like other people;

they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.

They wear pride like a jeweled necklace

and clothe themselves with cruelty.

These fat cats have everything

their hearts could ever wish for!

They scoff and speak only evil;

in their pride they seek to crush others.

They boast against the very heavens,

and their words strut throughout the earth.

And so the people are dismayed and confused,

drinking in all their words.

“What does God know?” they ask.

“Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”

because I envied the boastful

when I saw the well-being of the wicked.

For there are no pains up to their death,

and their bodies are healthy.

They do not have ordinary trouble,

and they are not plagued as other people.

Therefore pride is their necklace;

an outfit of violence covers them.

Their eye bulges from fat.

Imaginings overflow their heart.

They mock and speak maliciously of oppression;

they speak as though from on high.

They set their mouth against the heavens,

and their tongue roams the earth.

Therefore his people turn there,

and abundant waters are slurped up by them.

And they say, “How does God know?”

and, “Does the Most High have knowledge?”

For I was envious at the foolish,

When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For there are no bands in their death:

But their strength is firm.

They are not in trouble as other men;

Neither are they plagued like other men.

Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain;

Violence covereth them as a garment.

Their eyes stand out with fatness:

They have more than heart could wish.

They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression:

They speak loftily.

They set their mouth against the heavens,

And their tongue walketh through the earth.

Therefore his people return hither:

And waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.

And they say, How doth God know?

And is there knowledge in the most High?