8. Were you present to hear the secret counsel of God? And do you limit [the possession of] wisdom to yourself?
9. What do you know that we know not? What do you understand that is not equally clear to us?
10. Among us are both the gray-haired and the aged, older than your father by far.
11. Are God's consolations [as we have interpreted them to you] too trivial for you? Is there any secret thing (any bosom sin) which you have not given up? [Or] were we too gentle [in our first speech] toward you to be effective?
12. Why does your heart carry you away [why allow yourself to be controlled by feeling]? And why do your eyes flash [in anger or contempt],
13. That you turn your spirit against God and let [such] words [as you have spoken] go out of your mouth?
14. What is man, that he could be pure and clean? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be right and just?
15. Behold, [God] puts no trust in His holy ones [the angels]; indeed, the heavens are not clean in His sight–
16. How much less that which is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water?
17. I will show you, hear me; and that which I have seen I will relate,
18. What wise men have not hid but have freely communicated; it was told to them by their fathers,