14. Some people have teeth like swords.It is as if their jaws are full of knives.They want to remove the poor people from the earth.They want to get rid of the needy.
15. “Greed has two daughters.Their names are ‘Give me. Give me.’There are three things that are never satisfied.There are really four that never say, ‘I’ve had enough!’
16. These things are the cemetery, the childless mother,the land that never gets enough rain,and fire that never says, ‘I’ve had enough!’
17. “Don’t make fun of your father.Don’t refuse to obey your mother.If you do, your eye will be pecked out by the birds of the valley.You will be eaten by hawks.
18. “There are three things that are too hard for me.There are really four that I don’t understand:
19. the way an eagle flies in the sky,the way a snake slides over a rock,the way a ship sails on the seaand the way a man acts with a girl.
20. “This is the way a woman who takes part in adultery acts:She sins and doesn’t care.She says, ‘I haven’t done anything wrong.’
21. “There are three things that make the earth tremble.There are really four that it cannot stand:
22. a servant who becomes a king,a foolish person who has plenty to eat,
23. a hateful woman who gets marriedand a maid who replaces her mistress.
24. “There are four things on earth that are small.But they are very wise:
25. Ants are not very strong.But they store up food in the summer.
26. Rock badgers are not powerful animals.But they can live among the rocks.
27. Locusts have no king.But they all go out in formation.
28. And lizards can be caught in the hand.But they are found even in kings’ palaces.
29. “There are three things that strut proudly.There are really four that walk as if they are important:
30. Lions are the proudest animals.They are strong and run from nothing.
31. Roosters and male goats strut proudly.And so does a king when his army is around him.
32. “You may have been foolish and proud.If you planned evil, cover your mouth.