⁷⁵ I have seen, O Lord, that your decisions are right, and that in unchanging faith you have sent trouble on me.

¹⁹ To all those who are dear to me, I give sharp words and punishment: then with all your heart have sorrow for your evil ways.

¹⁰ For they truly gave us punishment for a short time, as it seemed good to them; but he does it for our profit, so that we may become holy as he is.

¹¹ At the time all punishment seems to be pain and not joy: but after, those who have been trained by it get from it the peace-giving fruit of righteousness.

⁴ In no way: but let God be true, though every man is seen to be untrue; as it is said in the Writings, That your words may be seen to be true, and you may be seen to be right when you are judged.

⁵ But if the righteousness of God is supported by our wrongdoing what is to be said? is it wrong for God to be angry (as men may say)?

¹ You are in the right, O Lord, when I put my cause before you: still let me take up with you the question of your decisions: why does the evil-doer do well? why are the workers of deceit living in comfort?

¹⁶⁰ Your word is true from the first; and your upright decision is unchanging for ever.

¹²⁸ Because of it I keep straight in all things by your orders; and I am a hater of every false way.

⁶² In the middle of the night I will get up to give you praise, because of all your right decisions.

⁷ I will give you praise with an upright heart in learning your right decisions.

³⁰ If his children give up my law, and are not ruled by my decisions;

³¹ If my rules are broken, and my orders are not kept;

³² Then I will send punishment on them for their sin; my rod will be the reward of their evil-doing.

³³ But I will not take away my mercy from him, and will not be false to my faith.

¹⁰ All the ways of the Lord are mercy and good faith for those who keep his agreement and his witness.

²³ For he does not give man a fixed time to come before him to be judged.

⁴ He is the Rock, complete is his work; for all his ways are righteousness: a God without evil who keeps faith, true and upright is he.

²⁵ Let such a thing be far from you, to put the upright to death with the sinner: will not the judge of all the earth do right?