The princesof Zoanare merefools;The adviceof Pharaoh'swisestadvisershas becomestupid.Howcan you [men] sayto Pharaoh,"I am a sonof the wise,a sonof ancientkings"?
Solomon'swisdomsurpassedthe wisdomof allthe sonsof the eastand allthe wisdomof Egypt.
So HiramgaveSolomonas muchas he desiredof the cedarand cypresstimber.
"He makes counselorswalkbarefootAnd makesfoolsof judges.
The LORDnullifiesthe counselof the nations;He frustratesthe plansof the peoples.
Then I was senselessand ignorant;I was [like] a beastbeforeYou.
He wroughtwondersbeforetheir fathersIn the landof Egypt,in the fieldof Zoan.
WhenHe performedHis signsin EgyptAnd His marvelsin the fieldof Zoan,
A senselessmanhasnoknowledge,Nordoes a stupidmanunderstandthis:
So they piledthem in heaps,and the landbecamefoul.
"So the frogswill comeup on you and your peopleand allyour servants."'"
SurelyI am morestupidthananyman,And I do not have the understandingof a man.
The princesof Zoanhave actedfoolishly,The princesof Memphisare deluded;[Those who are] the cornerstoneof her tribesHave ledEgyptastray.
"Then the spiritof the Egyptianswill be demoralizedwithinthem; And I will confoundtheir strategy,So that they will resortto idolsand ghostsof the deadAnd to mediumsand spiritists.
Thereforebehold,I will once againdealmarvelouslywith thispeople,wondrouslymarvelous;And the wisdomof their wisemenwill perish,And the discernmentof their discerningmen will be concealed."
"For their princesare at ZoanAnd their ambassadorsarriveat Hanes.
Causing the omensof boastersto fail,Makingfoolsout of diviners,Causing wisemento drawbackAnd turningtheir knowledgeinto foolishness,
Everymanis stupid,devoidof knowledge;Everygoldsmithis putto shameby his idols;For his moltenimagesare deceitful,And there is nobreathin them.
For the shepherdshave becomestupidAnd have not soughtthe LORD;Thereforethey have not prospered,And alltheir flockis scattered.
"They criedthere,'Pharaohkingof Egypt[is] [but] a bignoise;He has let the appointedtimepassby!'
Concerning Edom.Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"Is therenolongeranywisdomin Teman?Has good counselbeenlostto the prudent?Has their wisdomdecayed?
"The wisemenare putto shame,They are dismayedand caught;Behold,they have rejectedthe wordof the LORD,And whatkind of wisdomdo they have?
"Your heartwas liftedup because of your beauty;You corruptedyour wisdomby reasonof your splendor.I castyou to the ground;I putyou beforekings,That they may seeyou.
"I will makePathrosdesolate,Seta firein ZoanAnd executejudgmentson Thebes.
Disasterwill comeupon disasterand rumorwill be [added] to rumor;then they will seeka visionfrom a prophet,but the lawwill be lostfrom the priestand counselfrom the elders.
"Allthe menalliedwith you Will sendyou forth to the border,And the menat peacewith you Will deceiveyou and overpoweryou. [They who eat] your breadWill setan ambushfor you. (Thereis nounderstandingin him.)
"Will I not on that day,"declaresthe LORD,"Destroywisemenfrom EdomAnd understandingfrom the mountainof Esau?
When they had goneup into the Negev,they cameto HebronwhereAhiman,Sheshaiand Talmai,the descendantsof Anakwere. (Now Hebronwas builtsevenyearsbeforeZoanin Egypt.)
"Moseswas educatedin allthe learningof the Egyptians,and he was a man of powerin wordsand deeds.
