LORD, you have always been fair whenever I have complained to you. However, I would like to speak with you about the disposition of justice. Why are wicked people successful? Why do all dishonest people have such easy lives?

耶和华啊，我与你争辩的时候，你显为义；但有一件，我还要与你理论：恶人的道路为何亨通呢？大行诡诈的为何得安逸呢？

耶和华啊，我与你争辩的时候，你总是显为义；但有一件，我还要与你理论：恶人的道路为何亨通呢？大行诡诈的为何得安逸呢？

耶和华啊，我与你争辩的时候，你总是显为义；但有一件，我还要与你理论：恶人的道路为何亨通呢？大行诡诈的为何得安逸呢？

耶和华啊，每次我与你争论，都显明你是对的。然而，我还是对你的公正有所不解：为什么恶人总是得势？为什么诡诈之人反而生活安逸？

耶和华啊！我跟你争辩的时候，总是你有理；然而我还要跟你讨论有关公正的问题。恶人的道路为什么亨通？所有行诡诈的为什么都得享安逸？

耶和華啊，我與你爭辯的時候，你顯為義；但有一件，我還要與你理論：惡人的道路為何亨通呢？大行詭詐的為何得安逸呢？

耶和華啊，我與你爭辯的時候，你總是顯為義；但有一件，我還要與你理論：惡人的道路為何亨通呢？大行詭詐的為何得安逸呢？

耶和華啊，我與你爭辯的時候，你總是顯為義；但有一件，我還要與你理論：惡人的道路為何亨通呢？大行詭詐的為何得安逸呢？

耶和華啊，每次我與你爭論，都顯明你是對的。然而，我還是對你的公正有所不解：為什麼惡人總是得勢？為什麼詭詐之人反而生活安逸？

耶和華啊！我跟你爭辯的時候，總是你有理；然而我還要跟你討論有關公正的問題。惡人的道路為甚麼亨通？所有行詭詐的為甚麼都得享安逸？

永恆主啊，我和你辯訴時，你都是對的；但有一個案件、我還要跟你理論。惡人的路為甚麼順利亨通？大行詭詐的為甚麼安享興隆呢？

耶和華歟、我與爾辯、爾乃公義、然我猶欲與爾論之、惡人之道、何故亨通、行詐之流、奚為安泰、

耶利米曰、耶和華與、吾訴於爾前、爾惟公是秉。即以爾行事論之、作惡者享通、逆理者平康、誠何故哉。

我若與主爭辯、主必顯為至公、雖然、我猶敢與主理論、惡人之道途亨通、奸詐之人平康、何故哉、

You are always righteous, Lord, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?

Lord, when I bring a matter to you, you always do what is right. But now I would like to speak with you about whether you are being fair. Why are sinful people successful? Why do those who can’t be trusted have an easy life?

Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?

Lord, you always give me justice when I bring a case before you. So let me bring you this complaint: Why are the wicked so prosperous? Why are evil people so happy?

You will be righteous, LORD, even if I bring a case against you. Yet, I wish to contend with you: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the treacherous live at ease?

Righteous are You, Lord, when I plead my case with You; Nevertheless I would discuss matters of justice with You: Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease?

Righteous are You, O Lord, when I plead with You; Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?

Righteous art thou, O Jehovah, when I contend with thee; yet would I reason the cause with thee: wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they at ease that deal very treacherously?

You will be righteous, Lord, even if I bring a case against You. Yet, I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the treacherous live at ease?

Righteous[ art] thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of[ thy] judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper?[ wherefore] are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

You are righteous, Yahweh, when I contend with you; yet I would like to reason the cause with you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are they all at ease who deal very treacherously?

So now we consider the arrogant to be happy; indeed, those who practice evil are successful. In fact, those who challenge God escape!’”

Do not fret when wicked men seem to succeed! Do not envy evildoers!

When the wicked sprout up like grass, and all the evildoers glisten, it is so that they may be annihilated.

But the tents of robbers are peaceful, and those who provoke God are confident– who carry their god in their hands.

Against you– you above all– I have sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. So you are just when you confront me; you are right when you condemn me.

I have seen ruthless evil men growing in influence, like a green tree grows in its native soil.

For this reason the law lacks power, and justice is never carried out. Indeed, the wicked intimidate the innocent. For this reason justice is perverted.

So I said to the LORD,“ O LORD who rules over all, you are a just judge! You examine people’s hearts and minds. I want to see you pay them back for what they have done because I trust you to vindicate my cause.”

The just LORD resides within her; he commits no unjust acts. Every morning he reveals his justice. At dawn he appears without fail. Yet the unjust know no shame.

You are too just to tolerate evil; you are unable to condone wrongdoing. So why do you put up with such treacherous people? Why do you say nothing when the wicked devour those more righteous than they are?You made people like fish in the sea, like animals in the sea that have no ruler.The Babylonian tyrant pulls them all up with a fishhook; he hauls them in with his throw net. When he catches them in his dragnet, he is very happy.Because of his success he offers sacrifices to his throw net and burns incense to his dragnet; for because of them he has plenty of food, and more than enough to eat.Will he then continue to fill and empty his throw net? Will he always destroy nations and spare none?

“ You are righteous, O Lord, but we are humiliated this day– the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far away in all the countries in which you have scattered them, because they have behaved unfaithfully toward you.

For the nations of Israel and Judah have been very unfaithful to me,” says the LORD.

Like a cage filled with the birds that have been caught, their houses are filled with the gains of their fraud and deceit. That is how they have gotten so rich and powerful.That is how they have grown fat and sleek. There is no limit to the evil things they do. They do not plead the cause of the fatherless in such a way as to win it. They do not defend the rights of the poor.

O LORD, how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked celebrate?They spew out threats and speak defiantly; all the evildoers boast.

For I envied those who are proud, as I observed the prosperity of the wicked.For they suffer no pain; their bodies are strong and well-fed.They are immune to the trouble common to men; they do not suffer as other men do.Arrogance is their necklace, and violence their clothing.Their prosperity causes them to do wrong; their thoughts are sinful.They mock and say evil things; they proudly threaten violence.They speak as if they rule in heaven, and lay claim to the earth.Therefore they have more than enough food to eat, and even suck up the water of the sea.They say,“ How does God know what we do? Is the sovereign one aware of what goes on?”Take a good look! This is what the wicked are like, those who always have it so easy and get richer and richer.I concluded,“ Surely in vain I have kept my motives pure and maintained a pure lifestyle.I suffer all day long, and am punished every morning.”If I had publicized these thoughts, I would have betrayed your loyal followers.When I tried to make sense of this, it was troubling to me.Then I entered the precincts of God’s temple, and understood the destiny of the wicked.Surely you put them in slippery places; you bring them down to ruin.How desolate they become in a mere moment! Terrifying judgments make their demise complete!They are like a dream after one wakes up. O Lord, when you awake you will despise them.Yes, my spirit was bitter, and my insides felt sharp pain.I was ignorant and lacked insight; I was as senseless as an animal before you.But I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.You guide me by your wise advice, and then you will lead me to a position of honor.Whom do I have in heaven but you? I desire no one but you on earth.My flesh and my heart may grow weak, but God always protects my heart and gives me stability.Yes, look! Those far from you die; you destroy everyone who is unfaithful to you.But as for me, God’s presence is all I need. I have made the sovereign LORD my shelter, as I declare all the things you have done.

O LORD God of Israel, you are righteous, for we are left as a remnant this day. Indeed, we stand before you in our guilt. However, because of this guilt no one can really stand before you.”

“ Why do the wicked go on living, grow old, even increase in power?Their children are firmly established in their presence, their offspring before their eyes.Their houses are safe and without fear; and no rod of punishment from God is upon them.Their bulls breed without fail; their cows calve and do not miscarry.They allow their children to run like a flock; their little ones dance about.They sing to the accompaniment of tambourine and harp, and make merry to the sound of the flute.They live out their years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace.So they say to God,‘ Turn away from us! We do not want to know your ways.Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain if we were to pray to him?’

But I wish to speak to the Almighty, and I desire to argue my case with God.

You are just, O LORD, and your judgments are fair.

You did not hear, you do not know, you were not told beforehand. For I know that you are very deceitful; you were labeled a rebel from birth.

The LORD is just in all his actions, and exhibits love in all he does.

At Adam they broke the covenant; Oh how they were unfaithful to me!

“ Present your argument,” says the LORD.“ Produce your evidence,” says Jacob’s king.

But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he?( I am speaking in human terms.)Absolutely not! For otherwise how could God judge the world?

Far be it from you to do such a thing– to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right?”

As for the Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are just. He is a reliable God who is never unjust, he is fair and upright.

As a matter of fact, even your own brothers and the members of your own family have betrayed you too. Even they have plotted to do away with you. So do not trust them even when they say kind things to you.

I know, LORD, that your regulations are just. You disciplined me because of your faithful devotion to me.

For the waywardness of the simpletons will kill them, and the careless ease of fools will destroy them.