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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no harm.’”

Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.

Though the wicked sprout like weeds and evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever.

But robbers are left in peace, and those who provoke God live in safety— though God keeps them in his power.

Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.

I have seen wicked and ruthless people flourishing like a tree in its native soil.

The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted.

O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you make righteous judgments, and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets. Let me see your vengeance against them, for I have committed my cause to you.

But the Lord is still there in the city, and he does no wrong. Day by day he hands down justice, and he does not fail. But the wicked know no shame.

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?Are we only fish to be caught and killed? Are we only sea creatures that have no leader?Must we be strung up on their hooks and caught in their nets while they rejoice and celebrate?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.Will you let them get away with this forever? Will they succeed forever in their heartless conquests?

“ Lord, you are in the right; but as you see, our faces are covered with shame. This is true of all of us, including the people of Judah and Jerusalem and all Israel, scattered near and far, wherever you have driven us because of our disloyalty to you.

The people of Israel and Judah are full of treachery against me,” says the Lord.

Like a cage filled with birds, their homes are filled with evil plots. And now they are great and rich.They are fat and sleek, and there is no limit to their wicked deeds. They refuse to provide justice to orphans and deny the rights of the poor.

How long, O Lord? How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat?How long will they speak with arrogance? How long will these evil people boast?

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?”Look at these wicked people— enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain.If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to your people.So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors.When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside.I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you.But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

O Lord, God of Israel, you are just. We come before you in our guilt as nothing but an escaped remnant, though in such a condition none of us can stand in your presence.”

“ Why do the wicked prosper, growing old and powerful?They live to see their children grow up and settle down, and they enjoy their grandchildren.Their homes are safe from every fear, and God does not punish them.Their bulls never fail to breed. Their cows bear calves and never miscarry.They let their children frisk about like lambs. Their little ones skip and dance.They sing with tambourine and harp. They celebrate to the sound of the flute.They spend their days in prosperity, then go down to the grave in peace.And yet they say to God,‘ Go away. We want no part of you and your ways.Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey him? What good will it do us to pray?’

As for me, I would speak directly to the Almighty. I want to argue my case with God himself.

O Lord, you are righteous, and your regulations are fair.

“ Yes, I will tell you of things that are entirely new, things you never heard of before. For I know so well what traitors you are. You have been rebels from birth.

The Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness.

But like Adam, you broke my covenant and betrayed my trust.

“ Present the case for your idols,” says the Lord.“ Let them show what they can do,” says the King of Israel.

“ But,” some might say,“ our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is. Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?”( This is merely a human point of view.)Of course not! If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world?

Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!

Even your brothers, members of your own family, have turned against you. They plot and raise complaints against you. Do not trust them, no matter how pleasantly they speak.

I know, O Lord, that your regulations are fair; you disciplined me because I needed it.

For simpletons turn away from me— to death. Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.