7. Your future will be brighterby far than your past.
8. Our ancestors were wise,so learn from them.
9. Our own time has been short,like a fading shadow,and we know very little.
10. But they will instruct youwith great understanding.
11. Papyrus reeds grow healthyonly in a swamp,
12. and if the water dries up,they die sooner than grass.
13. Such is the hopeless futureof all who turn from God
14. and trust in something as frailas a spider's web—
15. they take hold and fallbecause it's so flimsy.
16. Sinful people are like plantswith spreading roots and plentyof sun and water.
17. They wrap their roots tightlyaround rocks.
18. But once they are pulled up,they have no more place;