1 Observe 〚ye〛 how the trees cover themselves with green leaves and bear fruit: wherefore give ye heed ⌜and know⌝ with regard to all ⌜His works⌝, and recognize how He that liveth for ever hath made them so.
2 And ⌜all⌝ His works go on ⌜thus⌝ from year to year ⌜for ever⌝, and all the tasks ⌜which⌝ they accomplish for Him, and ⌜their tasks⌝ change not, but according as 〚God〛 hath ordained so is it done.
3 And behold how the sea and the rivers in like manner accomplish ⌜and change not⌝ their tasks ⌜from His commandments⌝.
4 But ye—ye have not been steadfast, nor done the commandments of the Lord,But ye have turned away and spoken proud and hard wordsWith your impure mouths against His greatness.Oh, ye hard-hearted, ye shall find no peace.
5 Therefore shall ye execrate your days,And the years of your life shall perish,And ⌜the years of your destruction⌝ shall be multiplied in eternal execration,And ye shall find no mercy.
6a In those days ye shall make your names an eternal execration unto all the righteous,bAnd by you shall ⌜all⌝ who curse, curse.c⌜And all⌝ the sinners ⌜and godless⌝ shall imprecate by you,7c And for you, the godless, there shall be a curse.
6d ⌜And all the ... shall rejoice,eAnd there shall be forgiveness of sins,fAnd every mercy and peace and forbearance:gThere shall be salvation unto them, a goodly light.iAnd for all of you sinners there shall be no salvation,jBut on you all shall abide a curse⌝.7a But for the elect there shall be light and grace and peace,bAnd they shall inherit the earth.
8 And then there shall be bestowed upon the elect wisdom,And they shall all live and never again sin,Either through ungodliness or through pride;But they who are wise shall be humble.
9 And they shall not again transgress,Nor shall they sin all the days of their life,Nor shall they die of (the divine) anger or wrath,But they shall complete the number of the days of their life.
And their lives shall be increased in peace,And the years of their joy shall be multiplied,In eternal gladness and peace,All the days of their life.