who frustrates the omens of the empty talkers ¹  and humiliates ²  the omen readers, who overturns the counsel of the wise men ³  and makes their advice ⁴  seem foolish,

O God, you are aware of my foolish sins; ¹  my guilt is not hidden from you. ² 

The wisdom of the shrewd person ¹  is to discern ²  his way, but the folly of fools is deception. ³ 

The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on folly. ¹ 

What I am saying with this boastful confidence ¹  I do not say the way the Lord would. ²  Instead it is, as it were, foolishness.

Abandon your foolish ways ¹  so that you may live, ²  and proceed ³  in the way of understanding.”

The wise person ¹  accepts instructions, ²  but the one who speaks foolishness ³  will come to ruin. ⁴ 

The naive inherit ¹  folly, but the shrewd ²  are crowned ³  with knowledge.

Some have strayed from these and turned away to empty discussion.

The one who winks ¹  his ²  eye causes ³  trouble, and the one who speaks foolishness ⁴  will come to ruin.

Folly is a joy to one who lacks sense, ¹  but one who has understanding ²  follows an upright course. ³ 

I realized that wisdom is preferable to folly, ¹  just as light is preferable to darkness:

Just as there is futility in many dreams, so also in many words. ¹  Therefore, fear God!

By professing it, some have strayed from the faith. ¹  Grace be with you all. ² 

So I decided ¹  to discern the benefit of ²  wisdom and knowledge over ³  foolish behavior and ideas; ⁴  however, I concluded ⁵  that even ⁶  this endeavor ⁷  is like ⁸  trying to chase the wind! ⁹ 

But they will not go much further, ¹  for their foolishness will be obvious to everyone, just like it was with Jannes and Jambres. ² 

The Lord has made them undiscerning; ¹  they lead Egypt astray in all she does, so that she is like a drunk sliding around in his own vomit. ² 

For a fool speaks disgraceful things; ¹  his mind plans out sinful deeds. ²  He commits godless deeds ³  and says misleading things about the Lord; he gives the hungry nothing to satisfy their appetite ⁴  and gives the thirsty nothing to drink. ⁵ 

For we would not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. ¹ 

(To my disgrace ¹  I must say that we were too weak for that!) ²  But whatever anyone else dares to boast about ³  (I am speaking foolishly), I also dare to boast about the same thing. ⁴