5 The Lord says, "Those who trust in man are under my curse. They depend on human strength. Their hearts turn away from me.
6 They will be like a bush in a dry and empty land. They will not enjoy success when it comes. They will live in dry places in the desert. It is a land of salt where no one else lives.
7 "But I will bless any man who trusts in me. I will show my favor to the one who depends on me.
8 He will be like a tree that is planted near water. It sends out its roots beside a stream. It is not afraid when heat comes. Its leaves are always green. It does not worry when there is no rain. It always bears fruit."
9 A human heart is more dishonest than anything else. It can't be healed. Who can understand it?
10 The Lord says, "I look deep down inside human hearts. I see what is in people's minds. I reward a man in keeping with his conduct. I bless him based on what he has done."
11 Some people get rich in the wrong way. They are like a partridge that hatches eggs it didn't lay. When their lives are half over, their riches will desert them. In the end they will prove how foolish they have been.