6. Come, therefore, let us enjoy the good things that are here,and make use of creation with youthful zest.
7. Let us have our fill of costly wine and perfumes,and let no springtime blossom pass us by;
8. let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they wither.
9. Let no meadow be free from our wantonness;everywhere let us leave tokens of our merriment,for this is our portion, and this our lot.
10. Let us oppress the righteous poor;let us neither spare the widownor revere the aged for hair grown white with time.
11. But let our strength be our norm of righteousness;for weakness proves itself useless.
12. Let us lie in wait for the righteous one, because he is annoying to us;he opposes our actions,Reproaches us for transgressions of the lawand charges us with violations of our training.
13. He professes to have knowledge of Godand styles himself a child of the Lord.
14. To us he is the censure of our thoughts;merely to see him is a hardship for us,
15. Because his life is not like that of others,and different are his ways.
16. He judges us debased;he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure.He calls blest the destiny of the righteousand boasts that God is his Father.
17. Let us see whether his words be true;let us find out what will happen to him in the end.
18. For if the righteous one is the son of God, God will help himand deliver him from the hand of his foes.