The foolhas saidin his heart,"Thereis noGod."They are corrupt,they have committedabominabledeeds;Thereis noonewho doesgood.
Then the LORDsawthat the wickednessof manwas greaton the earth,and that everyintentof the thoughtsof his heartwas onlyevilcontinually.
Howmuchlessone who is detestableand corrupt,Man,who drinksiniquitylike water!
"You say,Whatdoes Godknow?Can He judgethroughthe thickdarkness?
The wicked,in the haughtinessof his countenance,does not seek[Him]. Allhis thoughtsare, "Thereis noGod."
Fools,becauseof their rebelliousway,And becauseof their iniquities,were afflicted.
The foolhas saidin his heart,"Thereis noGod,"They are corrupt,and have committedabominableinjustice;Thereis noonewho doesgood.
For I was enviousof the arrogant[As] I sawthe prosperityof the wicked.
A senselessmanhasnoknowledge,Nordoes a stupidmanunderstandthis:
"Howlong,O naiveones,will you lovebeing simple-minded?And scoffersdelightthemselves in scoffingAnd foolshateknowledge?
The fearof the LORDis the beginningof knowledge;Foolsdespisewisdomand instruction.
Desirerealizedis sweetto the soul,But it is an abominationto foolsto turnawayfrom evil.
Thoughyou pounda foolin a mortarwith a pestlealongwith crushedgrain,[Yet] his foolishnesswill not departfrom him.
Indeed,thereis not a righteousmanon earthwho[continually] doesgoodand who neversins.
Alas,sinfulnation,Peopleweigheddownwith iniquity,Offspringof evildoers,Sonswho actcorruptly!They have abandonedthe LORD,They have despisedthe HolyOneof Israel,They have turnedawayfrom Him.
They have liedabout the LORDAnd said,"Not He; Misfortunewill not comeon us, And we will not seeswordor famine.
Allof them are stubbornlyrebellious,Goingabout as a talebearer.[They are] bronzeand iron;They, allof them, are corrupt.
"You broodof vipers,howcanyou, beingevil,speakwhat is good?For the mouthspeaksout of that which fillsthe heart.
"For out of the heartcomeevilthoughts,murders,adulteries,fornications,thefts,false witness,slanders.
"But Godsaidto him, 'You fool!This[very] nightyour soulis requiredof you; and [now] whowill own whatyou have prepared?'
[remember] that you were at that timeseparatefrom Christ,excludedfrom the commonwealthof Israel,and strangersto the covenantsof promise,havingnohopeand without Godin the world.
They professto knowGod,but by [their] deedsthey deny[Him], beingdetestableand disobedientand worthlessfor anygooddeed.
For we alsooncewere foolishourselves,disobedient,deceived,enslavedto variouslustsand pleasures,spending our lifein maliceand envy,hateful,hatingone another.
"But for the cowardlyand unbelievingand abominableand murderersand immoral personsand sorcerersand idolatersand allliars,their part[will be] in the lakethat burnswith fireand brimstone,whichis the seconddeath."
"Pleasedo not let my lordpayattentionto thisworthlessman,Nabal,for as his nameis, sois he. Nabalis his nameand follyis with him; but I your maidservantdid not seethe youngmenof my lordwhomyou sent.
