18 Those who are wise have taught me truthswhich they learned from their ancestors,and they kept no secrets hidden.
19 Their land was free from foreigners;there was no one to lead them away from God.
20 The wicked who oppress otherswill be in torment as long as they live.
21 Voices of terror will scream in their ears,and robbers attack when they think they are safe.
22 They have no hope of escaping from darkness,for somewhere a sword is waiting to kill them,
23 and vultures are waiting to eat their corpses.They know their future is dark;
24 disaster, like a powerful king,is waiting to attack them.