4. “I am a laughingstock to my neighbor,who calls upon God, and He answers him;the righteous, upright man is a laughingstock.
5. He whose foot is unsteadyis despised in the thoughts of him who is at ease.
6. The tents of robbers are at peace,and those who provoke God are secure,into whose hand they bring their own god.
7. “But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you;and the birds of the air, and let them tell you;
8. or speak to the earth, let it teach you;and let the fish of the sea declare to you.
9. Who among all these does not knowthat the hand of the Lord has done this,
10. in whose hand is the soul of every living thingand the breath of all mankind?
11. Does not the ear test wordsand the mouth taste its food?
12. Wisdom is with the elderly,and understanding comes with long life.
13. “With Him are wisdom and strength;He has counsel and understanding.
14. Surely, He tears down, and it cannot be built again;He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.
15. Surely, He withholds the waters, and they dry up;also He sends them out, and they overthrow the earth.
16. With Him are strength and wisdom.The deceived and the deceiver are His.
17. He leads counselors away strippedand makes fools of judges.