7 Why do the wicked live on,

growing old and increasing in power?

8 They see their children established around them,

their offspring before their eyes.

9 Their homes are safe and free from fear;

the rod of God is not on them.

10 Their bulls never fail to breed;

their cows calve and do not miscarry.

11 They send forth their children as a flock;

their little ones dance about.

12 They sing to the music of timbrel and lyre;

they make merry to the sound of the pipe.

13 They spend their years in prosperity

and go down to the grave in peace.

14 Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!

We have no desire to know your ways.

15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?

What would we gain by praying to him?’

7 Why do the wicked live,

reach old age, and grow mighty in power?

8 Their offspring are established in their presence,

and their descendants before their eyes.

9 Their houses are safe from fear,

and no rod of God is upon them.

10 Their bull breeds without fail;

their cow calves and does not miscarry.

11 They send out their little boys like a flock,

and their children dance.

12 They sing to the tambourine and the lyre

and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.

13 They spend their days in prosperity,

and in peace they go down to Sheol.

14 They say to God, ‘Depart from us!

We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.

15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?

And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’

7 Wherefore do the wicked live,

Become old, yea, are mighty in power?

8 Their seed is established in their sight with them,

And their offspring before their eyes.

9 Their houses are safe from fear,

Neither is the rod of God upon them.

10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not;

Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

11 They send forth their little ones like a flock,

And their children dance.

12 They take the timbrel and harp,

And rejoice at the sound of the organ.

13 They spend their days in wealth,

And in a moment go down to the grave.

14 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us;

For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?

And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

7 “Why do the wicked prosper,

growing old and powerful?

8 They live to see their children grow up and settle down,

and they enjoy their grandchildren.

9 Their homes are safe from every fear,

and God does not punish them.

10 Their bulls never fail to breed.

Their cows bear calves and never miscarry.

11 They let their children frisk about like lambs.

Their little ones skip and dance.

12 They sing with tambourine and harp.

They celebrate to the sound of the flute.

13 They spend their days in prosperity,

then go down to the grave in peace.

14 And yet they say to God, ‘Go away.

We want no part of you and your ways.

15 Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey him?

What good will it do us to pray?’

7 Why do the wicked live and become old,

Yes, become mighty in power?

8 Their descendants are established with them in their sight,

And their offspring before their eyes.

9 Their houses are safe from fear,

Neither is the rod of God upon them.

10 Their bull breeds without failure;

Their cow calves without miscarriage.

11 They send forth their little ones like a flock,

And their children dance.

12 They sing to the tambourine and harp,

And rejoice to the sound of the flute.

13 They spend their days in wealth,

And in a moment go down to the grave.

14 Yet they say to God, ‘Depart from us,

For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.

15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?

And what profit do we have if we pray to Him?’

7 Why do evil people live a long time?

They grow old and become more powerful.

8 They see their children around them;

they watch them grow up.

9 Their homes are safe and without fear;

God does not punish them.

10 Their bulls never fail to mate;

their cows have healthy calves.

11 They send out their children like a flock;

their little ones dance about.

12 They sing to the music of tambourines and harps,

and the sound of the flute makes them happy.

13 Evil people enjoy successful lives

and then go peacefully to the grave.

14 They say to God, ‘Leave us alone!

We don’t want to know your ways.

15 Who is the Almighty that we should serve him?

What would we gain by praying to him?’

7 Wherefore do the wicked live,

Become old, yea, wax mighty in power?

8 Their seed is established with them in their sight,

And their offspring before their eyes.

9 Their houses are safe from fear,

Neither is the rod of God upon them.

10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not;

Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

11 They send forth their little ones like a flock,

And their children dance.

12 They sing to the timbrel and harp,

And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.

13 They spend their days in prosperity,

And in a moment they go down to Sheol.

14 And they say unto God, Depart from us;

For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?

And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

7 Wherefore do the wicked live, grow old, yea, become mighty in power? 8 Their seed is established with them in their sight, and their offspring before their eyes. 9 Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of †God upon them. 10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. 11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance. 12 They shout to the tambour and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the pipe. 13 They spend their days in prosperity, and in a moment go down to Sheol. 14 And they say unto •God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways! 15 What is the Almighty that we should serve him? and what are we profited if we pray unto him?

7 “Why do the wicked go on living, grow old, 

and even become more powerful? 

8 They see their children firmly established with them, 

and they get to see their descendants. 

9 Their homes are free from fear, 

and God doesn’t use his rod on them. 

10 Their bulls are fertile when they breed. 

Their cows give birth to calves and never miscarry. 

11 They send their little children out ⸤to play⸥ 

like a flock of lambs, 

and their children dance around. 

12 They sing with the tambourine and lyre, 

and they are happy with the music of the flute. 

13 They spend their days in happiness, 

and they go peacefully to the grave. 

14 But they say to God, 

‘Leave us alone. 

We don’t want to know your ways. 

15 Who is the Almighty that we should serve him? 

What do we gain if we pray to him?’ 

7 Why do the wicked continue to live,

growing old and becoming powerful?

8 Their children are established while they are still alive,

and their descendants, before their eyes.

9 Their homes are secure and free of fear;

no rod from God strikes them.

10 Their bulls breed without fail;

their cows calve and do not miscarry.

11 They let their little ones run around like lambs;

their children skip about,

12 singing to the tambourine and lyre

and rejoicing at the sound of the flute.

13 They spend their days in prosperity

and go down to Sheol in peace.

14 Yet they say to God: “Leave us alone!

We don’t want to know Your ways.

15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him,

and what will we gain by pleading with Him?”

7 Why do the wicked live on,

reach old age, and grow mighty in power?

8 Their children are established in their presence,

and their offspring before their eyes.

9 Their houses are safe from fear,

and no rod of God is upon them.

10 Their bull breeds without fail;

their cow calves and never miscarries.

11 They send out their little ones like a flock,

and their children dance around.

12 They sing to the tambourine and the lyre,

and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.

13 They spend their days in prosperity,

and in peace they go down to Sheol.

14 They say to God, ‘Leave us alone!

We do not desire to know your ways.

15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?

And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’

7 “Why do the wicked live,

grow old, even grow mighty in power?

8 With them their offspring are established before them,

and their descendants before their eyes.

9 Their houses are safe without fear,

and the rod of God is not upon them.

10 His bull breeds and does not fail;

his cow calves and does not miscarry.

11 They send out their little ones like the flock,

and their children dance around.

12 They sing to the tambourine and lyre,

and they rejoice to the sound of the long flute.

13 They spend their days in prosperity,

and in peace they go down to Sheol.

14 And they say to God, ‘Turn away from us,

for we do not desire to know your ways.

15 Who is Shaddai that we should serve him,

or what would we benefit when we plead with him?’

7 Why do sinful people keep on living?

The older they grow, the richer they get.

8 They see their children grow up around them.

They watch their family increase in number.

9 Their homes are safe.

They don’t have to be afraid.

God isn’t punishing them.

10 Every time their bulls mate, their cows become pregnant.

And the calves don’t die before they are born.

11 Sinful people send their children out like a flock of lambs.

Their little ones dance around.

12 They sing to the music of tambourines and harps.

They have a good time while flutes are being played.

13 Those who are evil spend their years living well.

They go down to their graves in peace.

14 But they say to God, ‘Leave us alone!

We don’t want to know how you want us to live.

15 Who is the Mighty One? Why should we serve him?

What would we get if we prayed to him?’