<p class="poetry">Surely<n id="1" /> one sees<n id="2" /> that even wise people die;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">fools and spiritually insensitive people all pass away<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and leave their wealth to others.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">The scorner does not love<n id="1" /> one who corrects him;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">he will not go to<n id="3" /> the wise.p>

<p class="poetry">The words of the sages are like prods,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and the collected sayings are like firmly fixed nails;p> <p class="poetry">they are given by one shepherd.p>

<p class="poetry">who frustrates the omens of the empty talkers<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and humiliates<n id="2" /> the omen readers,p> <p class="poetry">who overturns the counsel of the wise men<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and makes their advice<n id="4" /> seem foolish,p>

<p class="poetry">Your wise men will be put to shame.p> <p class="poetry">They will be dumbfounded and be brought to judgment.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Since they have rejected the word of the <sc>Lordsc>,p> <p class="poetry">what wisdom do they really have?p>

<p class="poetry">At that time,&#8221;<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I will destroy the wise sages of Edom!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">the advisers<n id="3" /> from Esau&#8217;s mountain!<n id="4" />p>

You must not pervert justice or show favor. Do not take a bribe, for bribes blind the eyes of the wise and distort<n id="1" /> the words of the righteous.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> answered,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;This will happen<n id="2" /> because my people are foolish.p> <p class="poetry">They do not know me.p> <p class="poetry">They are like children who have no sense.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">They have no understanding.p> <p class="poetry">They are skilled at doing evil.p> <p class="poetry">They do not know how to do good.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">How can you say, &#8220;We are wise!p> <p class="poetry">We have the law of the <sc>Lordsc>&#8221;?p> <p class="poetry">The truth is,<n id="1" /> those who teach it<n id="2" /> have used their writingsp> <p class="poetry">to make it say what it does not really mean.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Hammered-out silver is brought from Tarshish<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and gold is brought from Uphaz<n id="2" /> to cover those idols.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">They are the handiwork of carpenters and goldsmiths.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">They are clothed in blue and purple clothes.<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">They are all made by skillful workers.<n id="6" />p>

So I chose<n id="1" /> as your tribal leaders wise and well-known men, placing them over you as administrators of groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and also as other tribal officials.

<p class="poetry">The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Pharaoh&#8217;s wise advisers give stupid advice.p> <p class="poetry">How dare you say to Pharaoh,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I am one of the sages,p> <p class="poetry">one well-versed in the writings of the ancient kings?&#8221;<n id="2" />p>