¹³ “With him are wisdom and powerful deeds,
and to him belong counsel and understanding.
¹⁴ If he tears down, then^[a] it will not be rebuilt;
if he shuts a man in, then^[b] he cannot be freed.
¹⁵ Look, if he withholds the water,^[c] then^[d] they dry up;
and if he sends them out, then^[e] they overwhelm the land.
¹⁶ “Strength and sound wisdom are with him;
the deceived and the deceiver are his.^[f]
17 He leads counselors away stripped,
and he makes fools of judges.
¹⁸ He loosens the fetters of kings,
and he binds a loincloth on their loins.
¹⁹ He leads priests away stripped,
and he overthrows the members of ancient families.^[g]
20 He deprives the trustworthy of speech,
and he takes away the discretion of elders.
²¹ He pours contempt on noblemen,
and he loosens the girdle of the mighty.
²² “He uncovers mysteries out of darkness,
and he brings deep shadow to the light.
²³ He makes the nations great, then^[h] he destroys them;
he expands the nations, then^[i] he guides them.
²⁴ He strips away the insight of the heads of the earth’s people,
and he makes them wander in a pathless wasteland.^[j]
25 They grope in the dark without^[k] light,
and he makes them stagger like a^[l] drunkard.