⁴ I listen carefully to many proverbs
    and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp.

²     for I will speak to you in a parable.
I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—

“I will speak to you in parables.
    I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world.^[a]”

⁶ by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables,
    the words of the wise and their riddles.

“Balak summoned me to come from Aram;
    the king of Moab brought me from the eastern hills.
‘Come,’ he said, ‘curse Jacob for me!
    Come and announce Israel’s doom.’

⁸ I speak to him face to face,
    clearly, and not in riddles!
    He sees the Lord as he is.
So why were you not afraid
    to criticize my servant Moses?”

For they look, but they don’t really see.
    They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.

‘When you hear what I say,
    you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
    you will not comprehend.
¹⁵ For the hearts of these people are hardened,
    and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes—
    so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
    and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
    and let me heal them.’^[b]