SurelyI am morestupidthananyman,And I do not have the understandingof a man.
For he sees[that even] wisemendie;The stupidand the senselessalikeperishAnd leavetheir wealthto others.
Then I was senselessand ignorant;I was [like] a beastbeforeYou.
A senselessmanhasnoknowledge,Nordoes a stupidmanunderstandthis:
Whoever lovesdisciplinelovesknowledge,But he who hatesreproofis stupid.
The wordsof Agurthe sonof Jakeh,the oracle.The mandeclaresto Ithiel,to Ithieland Ucal:
And you say,"HowI have hatedinstruction!And my heartspurnedreproof!
Then I said,"Woeis me, for I am ruined!BecauseI am a manof uncleanlips,And I liveamonga peopleof uncleanlips;For my eyeshave seenthe King,the LORDof hosts."
Everymanis stupid,devoidof knowledge;Everygoldsmithis putto shameby his idols;For his moltenimagesare deceitful,And there is nobreathin them.
For I do not wantyou, brethren,to be uninformedof thismystery--sothat you will not be wisein your own estimation--that a partialhardeninghas happenedto Israeluntilthe fullnessof the Gentileshas comein;
Let no mandeceivehimself.Ifany manamongyou thinksthat he is wisein thisage,he must becomefoolish,sothat he may becomewise.
Ifanyonesupposesthat he knowsanything,he has not yetknownas he oughtto know;
But ifanyof you lackswisdom,let him askof God,who givesto allgenerouslyand withoutreproach,and it will be givento him.