¹² But vain man is void of understanding, Yea, man is born `as' a wild ass's colt.

¹⁸ I said in my heart, `It is' because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are `but as' beasts.

²² So brutish was I, and ignorant; I was `as' a beast before thee.

⁵ Who hath sent out the wild ass free? Or who hath loosed the bonds of the swift ass,

⁶ Whose home I have made the wilderness, And the salt land his dwelling-place?

⁷ He scorneth the tumult of the city, Neither heareth he the shoutings of the driver.

⁸ The range of the mountains is his pasture, And he searcheth after every green thing.

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom.

¹⁴ But if ye have bitter jealousy and faction in your heart, glory not and lie not against the truth.

¹⁵ This wisdom is not `a wisdom' that cometh down from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

¹⁶ For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed.

¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy.

²⁰ But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?

³ among whom we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:--

¹⁸ Let no man deceive himself. If any man thinketh that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.

¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He that taketh the wise in their craftiness:

²⁰ and again, The Lord knoweth the reasonings of the wise that they are vain.

¹⁶ Be of the same mind one toward another. Set not your mind on high things, but condescend to things that are lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits.

²² Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

²⁴ a wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind in her desire; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.

² Surely I am more brutish than any man, And have not the understanding of a man;

³ And I have not learned wisdom, Neither have I the knowledge of the Holy One.

⁴ Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in his garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou knowest?

⁶ A brutish man knoweth not; Neither doth a fool understand this:

⁹ Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: In the balances they will go up; They are together lighter than vanity.

¹⁰ Trust not in oppression, And become not vain in robbery: If riches increase, set not your heart `thereon'.

⁵ Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me.

²⁸ And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.

¹⁴ What is man, that he should be clean? And he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

² No doubt but ye are the people, And wisdom shall die with you.

³ But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

⁵ Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? Or loweth the ox over his fodder?

¹³ He taketh the wise in their own craftiness; And the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.