They had no desire for my teaching, and my words of protest were as nothing to them.

"I had a vow to pay, and this day I perform it.

Yahweh, had constituted me the beginning of his way, before his works, at the commencement of that time;

At the outset of the ages, had I been established, in advance of the antiquities of the earth;

When there was no resounding deep, I had been brought forth, when there were no fountains, abounding with water;

Before mountains had been shaped, before hills, I was brought forth.

While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the first of the dust of the world.

A man may be acting as if he had wealth, but have nothing; another may seem poor, but have great wealth.

If you say, See, we had no knowledge of this: does not the tester of hearts give thought to it? and he who keeps your soul, has he no knowledge of it? and will he not give to every man the reward of his work?

And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and weeds had covered its face, and its stone wall was broken down.

If you have done foolishly in lifting yourself up, or if you have had evil designs, put your hand over your mouth.

The words of Lemuel, king of Massa: the teaching which he had from his mother.