¹² The beginning of man’s pride is to depart from the Lord;
    his heart has forsaken his Maker.
¹³ For the beginning of pride is sin,
    and the man who clings to it pours out abominations.
Therefore the Lord brought upon them extraordinary afflictions,
    and destroyed them utterly.
¹⁴ The Lord has cast down the thrones of rulers,
    and has seated the lowly in their place.
¹⁵ The Lord has plucked up the roots of the nations,^[a]
    and has planted the humble in their place.
¹⁶ The Lord has overthrown the lands of the nations,
    and has destroyed them to the foundations of the earth.
¹⁷ He has removed some of them and destroyed them,
    and has extinguished the memory of them from the earth.
¹⁸ Pride was not created for men,
    nor fierce anger for those born of women.

⁶ Rich experience is the crown of the aged,
    and their boast is the fear of the Lord.