Book Three
Fourteenth Day: Evening Prayer
73Quam bonus Israel!
1Truly, God is good to Israel, *
to those who are pure in heart.
2But as for me, my feet had nearly slipped; *
I had almost tripped and fallen;
3Because I envied the proud *
and saw the prosperity of the wicked:
4For they suffer no pain, *
and their bodies are sleek and sound;
5In the misfortunes of others they have no share; *
they are not afflicted as others are;
6Therefore they wear their pride like a necklace *
and wrap their violence about them like a cloak.
7Their iniquity comes from gross minds, *
and their hearts overflow with wicked thoughts.
8They scoff and speak maliciously; *
out of their haughtiness they plan oppression.
9They set their mouths against the heavens, *
and their evil speech runs through the world.
10And so the people turn to them *
and find in them no fault.
11They say, “How should God know? *
is there knowledge in the Most High?”
