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,
19. Unto whom alone the land was given, and no stranger intruded or passed among them [corrupting the truth].
20. The wicked man suffers with [self-inflicted] torment all his days, through all the years that are numbered and laid up for him, the oppressor.
21. A [dreadful] sound of terrors is in his ears; in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him [the dwellings of robbers are not at peace].
22. He believes that he will not return out of darkness, and [because of his guilt] he is waited for by the sword [of God's vengeance].
23. He wanders abroad for food, saying, Where is it? He knows that the day of darkness and destruction is already close upon him.
24. Distress and anguish terrify him; [he knows] they shall prevail against him, like a king ready for battle.
25. Because he has stretched out his hand against God and bids defiance and behaves himself proudly against the Almighty,