^9 (A)“He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
    but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,
    for not by might shall a man prevail.

⁹ Therefore justice is far from us,
    and righteousness does not overtake us;
^(A)we hope for light, and behold, darkness,
    and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.
^10 (B)We grope for the wall like the blind;
    we grope like those who have no eyes;
we stumble at noon as in the twilight,
    ^(C)among those in full vigour we are like dead men.

^12 (A)Therefore their way shall be to them
    like slippery paths ^(B)in the darkness,
    into which they shall be driven and fall,
for I will bring disaster upon them
    ^(C)in the year of their punishment,
declares the Lord.

⁵ “Indeed, ^(A)the light of the wicked is put out,
    and the flame of his fire does not shine.