The plans of the diligent ¹  lead ²  only to plenty, ³  but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. ⁴ 

Then ¹  observers ²  will say, “Yes indeed, the godly are rewarded! ³  Yes indeed, there is a God who judges ⁴  in the earth!”

But ¹  you must not eat meat ²  with its life (that is, ³  its blood) in it. ⁴ 

Surely now he ¹  has worn me out, you have devastated my entire household.

“Indeed, you have said in my hearing ¹  (I heard the sound of the words!):

Surely ¹  you put them in slippery places; you bring them down ²  to ruin.

Surely people go through life as mere ghosts. ¹  Surely they accumulate worthless wealth without knowing who will eventually haul it away.” ² 

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

Only his flesh has pain for himself, ¹  and he mourns for himself.” ² 

“He has put my relatives ¹  far from me; my acquaintances only ²  turn away from me.

Surely it is an empty cry ¹  – God does not hear it; the Almighty does not take notice of it.

Do not be angry and frustrated! ¹  Do not fret! That only leads to trouble!

Patiently wait for God alone, my soul! ¹  For he is the one who gives me confidence. ² 

He alone is my protector ¹  and deliverer. He is my refuge; ²  I will not be upended. ³ 

A psalm by Asaph. Certainly God is good to Israel, ²  and to those whose motives are pure! ³ 

I concluded, ¹  “Surely in vain I have kept my motives ²  pure and maintained a pure lifestyle. ³ 

Certainly his loyal followers will soon experience his deliverance; ¹  then his splendor will again appear in our land. ² 

If I were to say, “Certainly the darkness will cover me, ¹  and the light will turn to night all around me,” ² 

What the righteous desire ¹  leads ²  only to good, but what the wicked hope for ³  leads ⁴  to wrath.

One person is generous ¹  and yet grows more wealthy, ²  but another withholds more than he should ³  and comes to poverty. ⁴