3-4. “I flunked ‘wisdom.’I see no evidence of a holy God.Has anyone ever seen Anyoneclimb into Heaven and take charge?grab the winds and control them?gather the rains in his bucket?stake out the ends of the earth?Just tell me his name, tell me the names of his sons.Come on now—tell me!”
21-23. Three things are too much for even the earth to bear,yes, four things shake its foundations—when the janitor becomes the boss,when a fool gets rich,when a whore is voted “woman of the year,”when a “girlfriend” replaces a faithful wife.
24-28. There are four small creatures,wisest of the wise they are—ants—frail as they are,get plenty of food in for the winter;marmots—vulnerable as they are,manage to arrange for rock-solid homes;locusts—leaderless insects,yet they strip the field like an army regiment;lizards—easy enough to catch,but they sneak past vigilant palace guards.
29-31. There are three solemn dignitaries,four that are impressive in their bearing—a lion, king of the beasts, deferring to none;a rooster, proud and strutting;a billy goat;a head of state in stately procession.
32-33. If you’re dumb enough to call attention to yourselfby offending people and making rude gestures,Don’t be surprised if someone bloodies your nose.Churned milk turns into butter;riled emotions turn into fist fights.