what wise men declare, hiding nothing, from the tradition of ¹  their ancestors, ² 

I am more discerning than those older than I, for I observe your precepts.

At that time,” ¹  the Lord says, “I will destroy the wise sages of Edom! ²  the advisers ³  from Esau’s mountain! ⁴ 

Solomon was wiser than all the men of the east and all the sages of Egypt. ¹ 

He deprives the trusted advisers ¹  of speech ²  and takes away the discernment ³  of elders.

The wise person ¹  can scale ²  the city of the mighty and bring down the stronghold ³  in which they trust. ⁴ 

Scornful people ¹  inflame ²  a city, ³  but those who are wise turn away wrath.

If a wise person ¹  goes to court ²  with a foolish person, there is no peace ³  whether he is angry or laughs. ⁴ 

A fool lets fly with all his temper, ¹  but a wise person keeps it back. ² 

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of merrymaking. ¹ 

It is better for a person to receive ¹  a rebuke from those who are wise ²  than to listen to the song ³  of fools.

The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; ¹  Pharaoh’s wise advisers give stupid advice. How dare you say to Pharaoh, “I am one of the sages, one well-versed in the writings of the ancient kings?” ² 

“I will make her officials and wise men drunk, along with her governors, leaders, ¹  and warriors. They will fall asleep forever and never wake up,” ²  says the King whose name is the Lord who rules over all. ³ 

The king then inquired of the wise men who were discerners of the times – for it was the royal custom to confer with all those who were proficient in laws and legalities. ¹ 

So what advantage does a wise man have over a fool? ¹  And what advantage ²  does a pauper gain by knowing how to survive? ³ 

The words of the sages are like prods, ¹  and the collected sayings are like firmly fixed nails; they are given by one shepherd.

His cheeks are like garden beds full of balsam trees ¹  yielding ²  perfume. His lips are like lilies dripping with drops of myrrh.

But where, oh where, are your wise men? ¹  Let them tell you, let them find out what the Lord who commands armies has planned for Egypt.

Therefore I will again do an amazing thing for these people – an absolutely extraordinary deed. ¹  Wise men will have nothing to say, the sages will have no explanations.” ² 

“Destructive forces will come against the Babylonians,” ¹  says the Lord. ²  “They will come against the people who inhabit Babylonia, against her leaders and her men of wisdom.