³ A whip for the horse, a mouth-bit for the ass, and a rod for the back of the foolish.

⁹ Do not be like the horse or the ass, without sense; ...

¹³ In the lips of him who has knowledge wisdom is seen; but a rod is ready for the back of him who is without sense.

² I said before, and still say it before I come, as being present for the second time, though I am still away from you, to those who have done wrong before, and to all the others, that if I come again I will not have pity;

⁶ Being ready to give punishment to whatever is against his authority, after you have made it clear that you are completely under his control.

²¹ What is your desire? is my coming to be with punishment, or is it to be in love and a gentle spirit?

²² Even if a foolish man is crushed with a hammer in a vessel among crushed grain, still his foolish ways will not go from him.

²⁹ Rods are being made ready for the man of pride, and blows for the back of the foolish.

²⁵ When blows overtake the man of pride, the simple will get sense; say sharp words to the wise, and knowledge will be made clear to him.

¹⁰ A word of protest goes deeper into one who has sense than a hundred blows into a foolish man.

⁵ And he said to the men of Succoth, Give bread cakes to my people, for they are overcome with weariness, and I am going on after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.

⁶ But the chiefs of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna even now in your hand that we are to give bread to your army?

⁷ Then Gideon said, Because of this, when the Lord has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hands, I will have you stretched on a bed of thorns of the waste land and on sharp stems, and have you crushed as grain is crushed on a grain-floor.