<p class="poetry">The plans of the diligent<n id="1" /> lead<n id="2" /> only to plenty,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Then<n id="1" /> observers<n id="2" /> will say,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Yes indeed, the godly are rewarded!<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Yes indeed, there is a God who judges<n id="4" /> in the earth!&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">But<n id="1" /> you must not eat meat<n id="2" /> with its life (that is,<n id="3" /> its blood) in it.<n id="4" />

<p class="poetry">Surely now he<n id="1" /> has worn me out,p> <p class="poetry">you have devastated my entire household.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;Indeed, you have said in my hearing<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">(I heard the sound of the words!):p>

<p class="poetry">Surely<n id="1" /> you put them in slippery places;p> <p class="poetry">you bring them down<n id="2" /> to ruin.p>

<p class="poetry">Surely people go through life as mere ghosts.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Surely they accumulate worthless wealthp> <p class="poetry">without knowing who will eventually haul it away.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

But some men from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.

<p class="poetry">Only his flesh has pain for himself,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and he mourns for himself.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;He has put my relatives<n id="1" /> far from me;p> <p class="poetry">my acquaintances only<n id="2" /> turn away from me.p>

<p class="poetry">Surely it is an empty cry<n id="1" /> &#8211; God does not hear it;p> <p class="poetry">the Almighty does not take notice of it.p>

<p class="poetry">Do not be angry and frustrated!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Do not fret! That only leads to trouble!p>

<p class="poetry">Patiently wait for God alone, my soul!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">For he is the one who gives me confidence.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">He alone is my protector<n id="1" /> and deliverer.p> <p class="poetry">He is my refuge;<n id="2" /> I will not be upended.<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="psasuper">A psalm by Asaph.p> <p class="poetry">Certainly God is good to Israel,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and to those whose motives are pure!<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">I concluded,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Surely in vain I have kept my motives<n id="2" /> purep> <p class="poetry">and maintained a pure lifestyle.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Certainly his loyal followers will soon experience his deliverance;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">then his splendor will again appear in our land.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">If I were to say, &#8220;Certainly the darkness will cover me,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and the light will turn to night all around me,&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">What the righteous desire<n id="1" /> leads<n id="2" /> only to good,p> <p class="poetry">but what the wicked hope for<n id="3" /> leads<n id="4" /> to wrath.p>

<p class="poetry">One person is generous<n id="1" /> and yet grows more wealthy,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">but another withholds more than he should<n id="3" /> and comes to poverty.<n id="4" />p>