Hypocrisy and Judgment

1 Why do you sit in the council of the faithful, profane (man), when your heart is far from the Lord, provoking the God of Israel with your sins? 2 The person who speaks harshly when condemning sinners in judgment is extravagant in speech and in outward appearance beyond all (men). 3 And his hand is the first raised against him as (though he acted) out of zeal, and (yet) he himself is guilty of many sins and of self-indulgence.⁠a 4 His eyes are upon every woman without distinction; his tongue lies when he makes a contract with an oath. 5 At night and in secret he sins as though unseen, with his eyes he speaks to every woman about evil agreements. He eagerly enters every house with a cheerful face as though he were innocent.

6 Let God remove those who live hypocritically among the faithful, (Even) the life of such a person through the decay of his flesh and poverty. 7 Let God reveal the deeds of those who seek human approval, The deeds of such a person with laughter and derision; 8 So that the faithful may acknowledge their God’s judgment as righteous, When sinners are removed from the presence of the righteous, (Even the) person who seeks human approval and teaches the law deceitfully.

9 And their eyes (are fixed) upon any man's house that is (still) secure, so that, like (the) Serpent, they may destroy the wisdom of [text uncertain] with the words of sinners, 10 His words are deceitful so that (he) may fulfill (his) wicked desire. He never stops scattering (families) as though (they were) orphans, 11 Yes, he destroys a house because of (his) lawless desire. He deceives with words, (saying,) There is no one who sees or judges. 12 He fills one (house) with lawlessness, and (then) his eyes (are fixed) upon the next house, to destroy it with words that make (desire) take flight. 13 (Yet) despite all this his soul, like Sheol, is never satisfied.

14 Let his portion, Lord, be dishonored in Your presence; Let him go out groaning and come home cursed. 15 Let his life be (spent) in anguish, and poverty, and need, Lord; Let his sleep be (beset) with pains and his waking with confusion. 16 Let sleep be withdrawn from his eyelids at night; Let him fail dishonorably in everything his hands do. 17 Let him come home empty-handed to his house, and may his house lack everything he could use to satisfy his appetite. 18 (Let) his old age (be spent) in childless loneliness until he is taken away (by death).

19 Let the flesh of those who seek human approval be torn apart by wild beasts, and (let) the bones of the lawless (lie) dishonored in the sight of the sun.⁠b 20 Let ravens peck out the eyes of the hypocrites. For they have shamefully destroyed many people’s houses and scattered (them) in (their) lust; 21 And they have not remembered God, or feared God in all these things; But they have provoked God's anger and upset Him. 22 May He remove them from the earth, because they deceitfully misled the souls of the blameless.

23 Blessed are those who fear the Lord in their innocence; The Lord shall deliver them from deceitful men and sinners, And deliver us from every obstacle of the lawless (men). 24 Let God destroy those who arrogantly commit every kind of wrongdoing, for the Lord our God is a great and mighty judge who judges righteously. 25 Let Your mercy, Lord, be on all those who love You.