²³ Listen closely to ·what I tell you [my voice];
    ·listen carefully to [pay attention to; heed] what I say.
²⁴ ·A farmer does not [^LDoes the plower…?] plow his field all the time;
    ·he does not [^Ldoes he…?] go on working the soil.
²⁵ ·He makes [Does he not make…?] the ground flat and smooth.
    Then he plants the dill and scatters the cumin.
·He plants [Does he not plant…?] the wheat in rows,
    the barley in its special place,
    and other wheat as a border around the field.
²⁶ His God ·teaches [instructs] him
    and ·shows [teaches] him the right way.
²⁷ A farmer doesn’t use ·heavy boards to crush [a sledge to thresh] dill;
    he doesn’t use a wagon wheel to crush cumin.
He uses a small stick to break open the dill,
    and with a ·stick [rod; flail] he opens the cumin.
²⁸ The grain is ground to make bread.
    People do not ruin it by ·crushing [threshing] it forever.
The farmer separates the wheat from the chaff with his cart,
    but he does not let his horses ·grind [crush] it.
²⁹ This lesson [^Cthat the Lord’s punishment fits the sin] also comes from the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts],
    who gives wonderful ·advice [counsel; 9:6], who ·is very wise [or gives excellent/great wisdom].