1 BOOK THE THIRD Nothing but good, is God, Unto Israel, Unto the pure in heart.
2 But, as for me,My feet had, almost stumbled, My steps had, well-nigh slipped;
3 For I was envious of the boasters, At the prosperity of the lawless, used I to look.
4 For they have no pangs in their death, And vigorous is their body;
5 Of the toil of weak mortals, have they none, Nor, with the sons of earth, are they hard smitten.
6 For this cause, doth arrogance deck them as a neck-chain, And a garment of wrong is their attire;
7 Their iniquity, hath proceeded from fatness, They have surpassed the imaginations of the heart;
8 They mock, and wickedly command oppression, From on high, they command;
9 They have set, in the heavens, their mouth, And, their tongue, marcheth through the earth.
10 Therefore must his people return thither, And, the waters of abundance, are drained by them;
11 And they sayHow doth GOD know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Lo! these, are the lawless, Who are secure for an age, They have attained unto wealth.
13 Altogether in vain, Have I cleansed my heart, And bathed in pureness, my hands;
14 And yet been smitten all the day, And been rebuked morning by morning!
15 If I had thought, I will relate it thus, Lo! the circle of thy sons, had I betrayed.
16 When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes:
17 Until I could enter the holy places of God,Could give heed to their hereafter:
18 Surely, in slippery places, dost thou set them,Thou hast suffered them to fall into places of danger.
19 How have they become desolate, as in a moment! They have ceasedcome to an end, by reason of calamities.
20 As the dream of him that waketh, O my Lord! when rousing thyself up, their shadowy being, wilt thou despise.
21 But my heart had grown embittered, And, in my reins, had I received wounds;
22 But, I, was brutish, and could not perceive, Like the beasts, had I become before thee.
23 Nevertheless, I, am continually before thee, Thou hast taken hold of my right hand;
24 By thy counsel, wilt thou guide me, And, afterwards, unto glory, wilt thou take me.
25 Whom have I in the heavens? And, compared with thee, there is nothing I desire on earth.
26 Failed have my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heartand my portion, is God unto times age-abiding.
27 For lo! they who are far from thee, shall perish, Thou hast put an end to every one who wandered unchastely from thee.
28 But, as for me, the drawing near of God, is my blessedness,I have made, of My Lord Yahweh, my refuge,That I may recount all thy works.