9. We are only dust and ashes; what have we got to be proud of? Our body decays even while we are alive.
10. A long illness puzzles the doctor. Even a king may be alive today and dead tomorrow.
11. When a person dies, all he then possesses is worms, flies, and maggots.
12. Pride has its beginning when a person abandons the Lord, his maker.
13. Pride is like a fountain pouring out sin, and whoever persists in it will be filled with wickedness. That is why the Lord brought terrible punishments on some people and completely destroyed them.
14. The Lord has overthrown kings and put humbler people in their place.
15. The Lord has pulled up nations by the roots and established humbler ones in their place.
16. The Lord has overthrown empires and completely devastated their lands.
17. He destroyed some of them so completely that they are not even remembered any more.
18. The Creator never intended human beings to be arrogant and violent.
19. Who deserves honour? The human race does, because people fear the Lord. Who does not deserve honour? The human race does not, because people break the Lord's commands.
20. A leader should be honoured by those who follow him, and the Lord honours those who fear him.