8For what hope has the godless when he is cut off,

when God takes away his life?

9Does God listen to his cry

when distress comes upon him?

10Will he find delight in the Almighty?

Will he call upon God at all times?

11“I will teach you about the power of God;

the ways of the Almighty I will not conceal.

12You have all seen this yourselves.

Why then this meaningless talk?

13“Here is the fate God allots to the wicked,

the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty:

14However many his children, their fate is the sword;

his offspring will never have enough to eat.

15The plague will bury those who survive him,

and their widows will not weep for them.

16Though he heaps up silver like dust

and clothes like piles of clay,

17what he lays up the righteous will wear,

and the innocent will divide his silver.

18The house he builds is like a moth’s cocoon,

like a hut made by a watchman.

19He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;

when he opens his eyes, all is gone.

20Terrors overtake him like a flood;

a tempest snatches him away in the night.

21The east wind carries him off, and he is gone;

it sweeps him out of his place.

22It hurls itself against him without mercy

as he flees headlong from its power.

23It claps its hands in derision

and hisses him out of his place.