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.

15 The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks,

he catches them in his net,

he gathers them up in his dragnet;

and so he rejoices and is glad.

16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net

and burns incense to his dragnet,

for by his net he lives in luxury

and enjoys the choicest food.

17 Is he to keep on emptying his net,

destroying nations without mercy?

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.

15 He brings all of them up with a hook;

he drags them out with his net;

he gathers them in his dragnet;

so he rejoices and is glad.

16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net

and makes offerings to his dragnet;

for by them he lives in luxury,

and his food is rich.

17 Is he then to keep on emptying his net

and mercilessly killing nations forever?

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? 15 They take up all of them with the angle, They catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: Therefore they rejoice and are glad. 16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; Because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous. 17 Shall they therefore empty their net, And not spare continually to slay the nations?

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?

15 Must we be strung up on their hooks

and caught in their nets while they rejoice and celebrate?

16 Then they will worship their nets

and burn incense in front of them.

“These nets are the gods who have made us rich!”

they will claim.

17 Will you let them get away with this forever?

Will they succeed forever in their heartless conquests?

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.

15 The enemy brings them in with hooks.

He catches them in his net

and drags them in his fishnet.

So he rejoices and sings for joy.

16 The enemy offers sacrifices to his net

and burns incense to worship it,

because it lets him live like the rich

and enjoy the best food.

17 Will he keep on taking riches with his net?

Will he go on destroying people without showing mercy?

12 Art not thou from everlasting, O Jehovah my God, my Holy One? we shall not die. O Jehovah, thou hast ordained him for judgment; and thou, O Rock, hast established him for correction. 13 Thou that art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and that canst not look on perverseness, wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy peace when the wicked swalloweth up 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? 15 He taketh up all of them with the angle, he catcheth them in his net, and gathereth them in his drag: therefore he rejoiceth and is glad. 16 Therefore he sacrificeth unto his net, and burneth incense unto his drag; because by them his portion is fat, and his food plenteous. 17 Shall he therefore empty his net, and spare not to slay the nations continually?

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. 15 He taketh up all of them with the hook, he catcheth them in his net, and gathereth them into his drag; therefore he rejoiceth and is glad: 16 therefore he sacrificeth unto his net, and burneth incense unto his drag; for by them his portion is become fat, and his meat dainty. 17 Shall he therefore empty his net, and not spare to slay the nations continually?

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. 

15 The Babylonians pull them all up with fishhooks, 

drag them away in nets, 

and gather them in dragnets. 

So they rejoice and are happy. 

16 That is why they sacrifice to their nets and burn incense to their dragnets. 

They are rich and well fed because of them. 

17 Will they keep on emptying their nets 

and always kill nations without mercy? 

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.

15 The Chaldeans pull them all up with a hook,

catch them in their dragnet,

and gather them in their fishing net;

that is why they are glad and rejoice.

16 That is why they sacrifice to their dragnet

and burn incense to their fishing net,

for by these things their portion is rich

and their food plentiful.

17 Will they therefore empty their net

and continually slaughter nations without mercy?

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.

15 The enemy brings all of them up with a hook;

he drags them out with his net,

he gathers them in his seine;

so he rejoices and exults.

16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net

and makes offerings to his seine;

for by them his portion is lavish,

and his food is rich.

17 Is he then to keep on emptying his net,

and destroying nations without mercy?

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.

15 He brings up all of them with a fishhook;

he drags them up with his fishnet,

and he gathers them in his dragnet.

Therefore, he rejoices and exults.

16 Therefore he sacrifices to his fishnet

and makes offerings to his dragnet,

for by them he makes a good living

and his food is rich.

17 Will he therefore empty his fishnet

and continually kill nations without showing mercy?

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.

15 The evil Babylonians pull all of them up with hooks.

They catch them in their nets.

They gather them up.

So they celebrate.

They are glad.

16 They offer sacrifices to their nets.

They burn incense to them.

Their nets allow them to live in great comfort.

They enjoy the finest food.

17 Are you going to let them

keep on emptying their nets?

Will they go on destroying nations

without showing them any mercy?

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?

15 The Chaldeans bring all of them up with a hook,

Drag them away with their net,

And gather them together in their fishing net.

Therefore they rejoice and are glad.

16 Therefore they offer a sacrifice to their net

and burn incense to their fishing net;

Because through these things their catch is large,

And their food is plentiful.

17 Will they therefore empty their net

And continually slay nations without sparing?