God

the wealth he swallows he vomits back up; God makes him disgorge it.

"This is what will fill his belly! -[God] will lay on him all his burning anger and make it rain over him, into his insides.

The income of his household will be carried off; his goods will flow away on the day of his wrath.

This is God's reward for the wicked, the heritage God decrees for him."

Their houses are safe, with nothing to fear; God's rod is not on them.

"Yet to God they said, 'Leave us alone! We don't want to know about your ways.

What is Shaddai, that we should serve him? What do we gain if we pray to him?'

"How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? How often does their calamity come upon them? How often does [God] deal out pain in his anger,

God lays up for their children [the punishment for their] iniquity. He should lay it on [the wicked] themselves, so that they can feel it!

Let their own eyes see their own destruction and themselves drink the wrath of Shaddai.

"Can anyone teach God knowledge? After all, he judges those who are on high.

"Can a human be of advantage to God? Can even the wisest benefit him?

Does Shaddai gain if you are righteous? Does he profit if you make your ways blameless?

"Is he rebuking you because you fear him? Is this why he enters into judgment with you?

"Isn't God in the heights of heaven, looking [down even] on the highest stars?

Yet you say, 'What does God know? Can he see through thick darkness to judge?

The clouds veil him off, so that he can't see; he just wanders around in heaven.'

They said to God, 'Leave us alone! What can Shaddai do to us?'

Yet he himself had filled their homes with good things! (But the advice of the wicked is far away from me.)

"Learn to be at peace with [God]; in this way good will come [back] to you.

Please! Receive instruction from his mouth, and take his words to heart.

If you return to Shaddai, you will be built up. If you drive wickedness far from your tents,

and let Shaddai be your treasure and your sparkling silver;

then Shaddai will be your delight, you will lift up your face to God;

you will entreat him, and he will hear you, and you will pay what you vowed;