Outward appearances often deceive, especially when it comes to inner peace. A person might appear to thrive and prosper, yet secretly live a life filled with terror and suffering. This reality addresses the age-old question of why wicked individuals sometimes seem to enjoy good lives. True success relies entirely on peace of mind, a blessing completely denied to those who do evil [מלבי״ם].
The primary approach among commentators is that a person who chooses cruelty and refuses to turn away from his sins [רש״י] experiences constant anxiety, terror, and a trembling pain akin to a woman in childbirth [רלב״ג, רמב״ן, אבן עזרא]. Even if such a person appears wealthy and serene on the outside, his heart is like a turbulent sea. He lives in a state of perpetual dread, waiting for disaster to strike and avenge his wrongdoings [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד]. Furthermore, the very choice to pursue a life of crime naturally brings about exhaustion, danger, and endless worry. This stands in sharp contrast to the peaceful existence of a righteous person who is simply happy with what he has [אלשיך]. Alternatively, this suffering can be understood as deep sorrow and mourning, where the wicked person constantly complains, knowing that God will eventually punish him for his actions [רש״י].
This dynamic is especially true for the tyrant—a forceful, aggressive individual who exploits his power to harm others [רלב״ג, מצודת ציון]. A specific, predetermined amount of time is hidden away for such a person [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ], though commentators differ on what this hidden future actually holds. One perspective suggests that the tyrant is granted an allotted period of power and success. However, even during this time of dominance, he finds no rest, living in constant anxiety as he watches his inevitable end draw near [רמב״ן, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Another view argues that this hidden time contains no success at all. Instead, it consists of disaster, ruin, and punishment waiting in secret, as hidden destinies in this context typically refer to the penalties reserved for sinners [תקות אנוש, אבן עזרא]. Finally, this period can be seen as a time of relentless worry caused by the sheer accumulation of wealth and power, reflecting the reality that gathering more possessions only gathers more anxiety [אלשיך].