15. If God places no trust in his holy ones,if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,
16. how much less mortals, who are vile and corrupt,who drink up evil like water!
17. ‘Listen to me and I will explain to you;let me tell you what I have seen,
18. what the wise have declared,hiding nothing received from their ancestors
19. (to whom alone the land was givenwhen no foreigners moved among them):
20. all his days the wicked man suffers torment,the ruthless man through all the years stored up for him.
21. Terrifying sounds fill his ears;when all seems well, marauders attack him.
22. He despairs of escaping the realm of darkness;he is marked for the sword.
23. He wanders about for food like a vulture;he knows the day of darkness is at hand.
24. Distress and anguish fill him with terror;troubles overwhelm him, like a king poised to attack,
25. because he shakes his fist at Godand vaunts himself against the Almighty,