2 "Truly indeed you [are the] people, and wisdom will die with you.
3 {I also have insight} like you; I am not more inferior than you. And {who does not know things like these}?
4 I am a laughingstock to my friends: '[He] calls on God, and he answers him.' A righteous, blameless man [is] a laughingstock.
5 {Those at ease have contempt} for [the] thought of {disaster}, [but it is] ready for those unstable of foot.
6 [The] tents of [the] destroyers are at peace, and [there is] security for those who provoke God, [for those] whom God brings into his hand.
7 "But ask [the] animals, and they will teach you, and the birds of the heaven, and they will tell you;
8 or ask the earth, and it will teach you, and the fishes of the sea will declare to you.
9 Who among all of these does not know that Yahweh's hand has done this?
10 In whose hand [is] the life of all living things and {the breath of every human being}?
11 Does not [the] ear test words and [the] palate taste food for itself?
12 Wisdom [is] with [the] aged, and understanding [is in] length of days.
13 "With him [are] wisdom and powerful deeds, and to him [belong] counsel and understanding.
14 If he tears down, then it will not be rebuilt; if he shuts a man in, then he cannot be freed.
15 Look, [if] he withholds the water, then they dry up; and [if] he sends them out, then they overwhelm [the] land.
16 "Strength and sound wisdom [are] with him; [the] deceived and [the] deceiver [are] his.
17 He leads counselors away stripped, and he makes fools of judges.
18 He loosens [the] fetters of kings, and he binds a loincloth on their loins.
19 He leads priests away stripped, and he overthrows {the members of ancient families}.
20 He deprives [the] trustworthy of speech, and he takes away [the] discretion of elders.
21 He pours contempt on noblemen, and he loosens [the] girdle of [the] mighty.
22 "He uncovers mysteries out of darkness, and he brings deep shadow to the light.
23 He makes the nations great, then he destroys them; he expands the nations, then he guides them.
24 He strips [away] the insight of the heads of the earth's people, and he makes them wander in {a pathless wasteland}.
25 They grope [in] the dark {without} light, and he makes them stagger like a drunkard.