O Lord, do not let me be humiliated, for I call out to you! May evil men be humiliated! May they go wailing to the grave! ¹ 

God looks down from heaven ¹  at the human race, ²  to see if there is anyone who is wise ³  and seeks God. ⁴ 

The one who gathers crops ¹  in the summer is a wise ²  son, but the one who sleeps ³  during the harvest is a son who brings shame to himself. ⁴ 

The prince who is a great oppressor lacks wisdom, ¹  but the one who hates ²  unjust gain will prolong his days.

Next, I decided to consider ¹  wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. ²  For what more can the king’s successor do than what the king ³  has already done?

The wise man can see where he is going, ¹  but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that the same fate ²  happens to them both. ³ 

Even when a fool walks along the road he lacks sense, ¹  and shows ²  everyone what a fool he is. ³ 

You will be shocked and amazed! ¹  You are totally blind! ²  They are drunk, ³  but not because of wine; they stagger, ⁴  but not because of beer.

So their land will become an object of horror. ¹  People will forever hiss out their scorn over it. All who pass that way will be filled with horror and will shake their heads in derision. ² 

I will make this city an object of horror, a thing to be hissed at. All who pass by it will be filled with horror and will hiss out their scorn ¹  because of all the disasters that have happened to it. ² 

For after we turned away from you we repented. After we came to our senses ¹  we beat our breasts in sorrow. ²  We are ashamed and humiliated because of the disgraceful things we did previously.’ ³ 

Even the calf idol ¹  will be carried to Assyria, as tribute for the great king. ²  Ephraim will be disgraced; Israel will be put to shame because ³  of its wooden idol. ⁴ 

The labor pains of a woman will overtake him, but the baby will lack wisdom; when the time arrives, he will not come out of the womb!

You are happy because you conquered Lo-Debar. ¹  You say, “Did we not conquer Karnaim ²  by our own power?”

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple is bound by nothing. ¹  But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by the oath.’

He said to them, “Are you so foolish? Don’t you understand that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him?

With many other words he testified ¹  and exhorted them saying, “Save yourselves from this perverse ²  generation!”

I say this to your shame! Is there no one among you wise enough to settle disputes between fellow Christians? ¹ 

He must not be a recent convert or he may become arrogant ¹  and fall into the punishment that the devil will exact. ² 

Hezekiah says, “The Lord our God will rescue us from the power ¹  of the king of Assyria.” But he is misleading you and you will die of hunger and thirst! ²