what was declared by wise men
and was not suppressed by their ancestors,

Hear my words, you wise men,
and listen to me, you knowledgeable ones.

Reasonable men will say to me,
along with the wise men who hear me,

Can a man be of any use to God?
Can even a wise man be of use to Him?

Does a wise man answer with empty counsel
or fill himself with the hot east wind?

But come back and try again, all of you.
I will not find a wise man among you.

Therefore, men fear Him.
He does not look favorably on any who are wise in heart.