I have seen ruthless evil men growing in influence, like a green tree grows in its native soil.

我见过恶人大有势力，好像一棵青翠树在本土生发。

我见过恶人大有势力，高耸如本地青翠的树木。

我见过恶人大有势力，高耸如本地青翠的树木。

我见过邪恶残暴之人，乍看如葱茏的黎巴嫩香柏树，

我曾看见强暴的恶人兴旺，像树木在本土茂盛。

我曾看到恶人的强横，像本地青翠的树那样蔓延；

我見過惡人大有勢力，好像一棵青翠樹在本土生發。

我見過惡人大有勢力，高聳如本地青翠的樹木。

我見過惡人大有勢力，高聳如本地青翠的樹木。

我見過邪惡殘暴之人，乍看如蔥蘢的黎巴嫩香柏樹，

我曾看見強暴的惡人興旺，像樹木在本土茂盛。

我見過惡人強橫可怖，挺然高聳、像茂盛的香柏樹。

我曾看到惡人的強橫，像本地青翠的樹那樣蔓延；

我見惡人勢盛、張大如青葱之樹、在其本土兮、

我見惡者強暴、蔓衍葱蘢、若茂樹兮、

我曾見強暴之惡人興旺、如根深葉茂之大樹、

曾見惡勢張。葱翠如春林。

I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,

I saw a mean and sinful person. He was doing well, like a green tree in its own land.

I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.

I have seen wicked and ruthless people flourishing like a tree in its native soil.

I have seen a wicked, violent person well-rooted, like a flourishing native tree.

I have seen a wicked, violent person Spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil.

I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a native green tree.

I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.

I have seen a wicked, violent man well-rooted like a flourishing native tree.

I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.

I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.

I myself have seen the fool taking root, but suddenly I cursed his place of residence.

“ Why do the wicked go on living, grow old, even increase in power?Their children are firmly established in their presence, their offspring before their eyes.Their houses are safe and without fear; and no rod of punishment from God is upon them.Their bulls breed without fail; their cows calve and do not miscarry.They allow their children to run like a flock; their little ones dance about.They sing to the accompaniment of tambourine and harp, and make merry to the sound of the flute.They live out their years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace.So they say to God,‘ Turn away from us! We do not want to know your ways.Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain if we were to pray to him?’But their prosperity is not their own doing. The counsel of the wicked is far from me!“ How often is the lamp of the wicked extinguished? How often does their misfortune come upon them? How often does God apportion pain to them in his anger?

Such is the destiny of all who forget God; the hope of the godless perishes,whose trust is in something futile, whose security is a spider’s web.He leans against his house but it does not hold up, he takes hold of it but it does not stand.He is a well-watered plant in the sun, its shoots spread over its garden.It wraps its roots around a heap of stones and it looks for a place among stones.If he is uprooted from his place, then that place will disown him, saying,‘ I have never seen you!’Indeed, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth others spring up.

I will climb up to the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High!”But you were brought down to Sheol, to the remote slopes of the pit.Those who see you stare at you, they look at you carefully, thinking:“ Is this the man who shook the earth, the one who made kingdoms tremble?Is this the one who made the world like a desert, who ruined its cities, and refused to free his prisoners so they could return home?”’As for all the kings of the nations, all of them lie down in splendor, each in his own tomb.But you have been thrown out of your grave like a shoot that is thrown away. You lie among the slain, among those who have been slashed by the sword, among those headed for the stones of the pit, as if you were a mangled corpse.

All the birds of the sky nested in its boughs; under its branches all the beasts of the field gave birth, in its shade all the great nations lived.It was beautiful in its loftiness, in the length of its branches; for its roots went down deep to plentiful waters.The cedars in the garden of God could not eclipse it, nor could the fir trees match its boughs; the plane trees were as nothing compared to its branches; no tree in the garden of God could rival its beauty.I made it beautiful with its many branches; all the trees of Eden, in the garden of God, envied it.“‘ Therefore this is what the sovereign LORD says: Because it was tall in stature, and its top reached into the clouds, and it was proud of its height,

For I envied those who are proud, as I observed the prosperity of the wicked.For they suffer no pain; their bodies are strong and well-fed.They are immune to the trouble common to men; they do not suffer as other men do.Arrogance is their necklace, and violence their clothing.Their prosperity causes them to do wrong; their thoughts are sinful.They mock and say evil things; they proudly threaten violence.They speak as if they rule in heaven, and lay claim to the earth.Therefore they have more than enough food to eat, and even suck up the water of the sea.They say,“ How does God know what we do? Is the sovereign one aware of what goes on?”

Haman then recounted to them his fabulous wealth, his many sons, and how the king had magnified him and exalted him over the king’s other officials and servants.

Which of the trees of Eden was like you in majesty and loftiness? You will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth; you will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword! This is what will happen to Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the sovereign LORD.’”

The tree that you saw that grew large and strong, whose top reached to the sky, and which could be seen in all the land,whose foliage was attractive and its fruit plentiful, and from which there was food available for all, under whose branches wild animals used to live, and in whose branches birds of the sky used to nest–it is you, O king! For you have become great and strong. Your greatness is such that it reaches to heaven, and your authority to the ends of the earth.As for the king seeing a holy sentinel coming down from heaven and saying,‘ Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its taproot in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, surrounded by the grass of the field. Let it become damp with the dew of the sky, and let it live with the wild animals, until seven periods of time go by for him’–this is the interpretation, O king! It is the decision of the Most High that this has happened to my lord the king.You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and you will become damp with the dew of the sky. Seven periods of time will pass by for you, before you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.They said to leave the taproot of the tree, for your kingdom will be restored to you when you come to understand that heaven rules.Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps your prosperity will be prolonged.”Now all of this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.After twelve months, he happened to be walking around on the battlements of the royal palace of Babylon.The king uttered these words:“ Is this not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal residence by my own mighty strength and for my majestic honor?”While these words were still on the king’s lips, a voice came down from heaven:“ It is hereby announced to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that your kingdom has been removed from you!You will be driven from human society, and you will live with the wild animals. You will be fed grass like oxen, and seven periods of time will pass by for you before you understand that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wishes.”Now in that very moment this pronouncement about Nebuchadnezzar came true. He was driven from human society, he ate grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until his hair became long like an eagle’s feathers, and his nails like a bird’s claws.