⁴ I am a laughingstock to my^[b] friends,
by calling on God, who answers me.^[c]
The righteous and blameless man is a laughingstock.^(B)
5 The one who is at ease^(C) holds calamity in contempt
and thinks it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping.
⁶ The tents of robbers are safe,^(D)
and those who trouble God are secure;
God holds them in his hands.^[d](E)

⁷ But ask the animals, and they will instruct you;
ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.^(F)
8 Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you;
let the fish of the sea inform you.
⁹ Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?^(G)
10 The life of every living thing is in his hand,
as well as the breath of all humanity.^(H)
11 Doesn’t the ear test words
as the palate tastes food?
¹² Wisdom is found with the elderly,
and understanding comes with long life.^(I)

¹³ Wisdom and strength belong to God;
counsel and understanding are his.^(J)
14 Whatever he tears down cannot be rebuilt;
whoever he imprisons cannot be released.^(K)
15 When he withholds water, everything dries up,
and when he releases it, it destroys the land.^(L)
16 True wisdom and power belong to him.
The deceived and the deceiver are his.
¹⁷ He leads counselors away barefoot
and makes judges go mad.^(M)
18 He releases the bonds^[e] put on by kings^(N)
and fastens a belt around their waists.
¹⁹ He leads priests away barefoot
and overthrows established leaders.^(O)
20 He deprives trusted advisers of speech
and takes away the elders’ good judgment.
²¹ He pours out contempt on nobles
and disarms^[f] the strong.
²² He reveals mysteries from the darkness
and brings the deepest darkness into the light.^(P)
23 He makes nations great, then destroys them;
he enlarges nations,^(Q) then leads them away.
²⁴ He deprives the world’s leaders of reason,
and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.^(R)
25 They grope around in darkness without light;
he makes them stagger like a drunkard.^(S)