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They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.

They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.

They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.

Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.

Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.

Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?

Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.

Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth.

As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?

Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.

Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.

Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.

And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers.

And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.

And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king"s house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.

Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians:

And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.

Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:

But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father"s house, which were better than thyself:

And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,

Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto.

So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.

Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots.

In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king.

Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever.

And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD.

Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel.

And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram; because he was the firstborn.