And Job took up his discourse again: ¹ 

Then Job continued ²  his speech:

The Proverbs ¹  of ²  Solomon ³  son of David, ⁴  king of Israel: ⁵ 

To discern ¹  the meaning of ²  a proverb and a parable, ³  the sayings of the wise ⁴  and their ⁵  riddles. ⁶ 

Like legs that hang limp ¹  from the lame, so ²  is a proverb ³  in the mouth of fools.

Then he uttered this oracle: “O, who will survive when God does this! ¹ 

You made us ¹  an object of ridicule ²  among the nations; foreigners treat us with contempt. ³ 

I will learn a song that imparts wisdom; I will then sing my insightful song to the accompaniment of a harp. ¹ 

I wear sackcloth and they ridicule me. ¹ 

I will sing a song that imparts wisdom; I will make insightful observations about the past. ¹ 

Like a thorn ¹  that goes into the hand of a drunkard, so is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. ² 

Balaam ¹  uttered ²  his oracle, and said, “Rise up, ³  Balak, and hear; Listen to me, son of Zippor:

Then he uttered this oracle: ¹  “The oracle ²  of Balaam son of Beor; the oracle of the man whose eyes are open; ³ 

Then he uttered this oracle: ¹  “The oracle of Balaam son of Beor; the oracle of the man whose eyes are open;

Then Balaam ¹  looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle: ²  “Amalek was the first ³  of the nations, but his end will be that he will perish.”

Then he looked on the Kenites and uttered this oracle: “Your dwelling place seems strong, and your nest ¹  is set on a rocky cliff.

You will become an occasion of horror, a proverb, and an object of ridicule to all the peoples to whom the Lord will drive you.

It’s like the old proverb says: ‘From evil people evil proceeds.’ But my hand will not be against you.

He composed ¹  3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs.

The Proverbs of Solomon: A wise child ²  makes a father rejoice, ³  but a foolish child ⁴  is a grief to his mother. ⁵