Listen carefully to my words; let your ears be attentive to my explanation.

“Listen carefully to my words; let this be the consolation you offer me.

Listen carefully to the thunder of his voice, to the rumbling that proceeds from his mouth.

“Listen now to my argument, and be attentive to my lips’ contentions.

Do you listen in on God’s secret council? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?

“I will explain to you; listen to me, and what I have seen, I will declare,

“I have heard many things like these before. What miserable comforters are you all!

When I hear a reproof that dishonors me, then my understanding prompts me to answer.

You will pray to him and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows to him.

Destruction and Death say, ‘With our ears we have heard a rumor about where it can be found.’

“People listened to me and waited silently; they kept silent for my advice.

“Indeed, you have said in my hearing (I heard the sound of the words!):

“Listen to my words, you wise men; hear me, you learned men.

You said, ‘Pay attention, and I will speak; I will question you, and you will answer me.’

I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye has seen you.

There the prisoners relax together; they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.

“Indeed, my eyes have seen all this, my ears have heard and understood it.

Does God listen to his cry when distress overtakes him?

“As soon as the ear heard these things, it blessed me, and when the eye saw them, it bore witness to me,

Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me. I, even I, will explain what I know.’