14. There is a generation whose teeth are like swordsand whose molars are like knivesto devour the poor from the earthand the needy from among the human race.
15. The leech has two daughters:“Give! Give!”There are three things that are never satisfied,four that never say, “Enough” –
16. the grave, the barren womb,land that is not satisfied with water,and fire that never says, “Enough!”
17. The eye that mocks at a fatherand despises obeying a mother – the ravens of the valley will peck it outand the young vultures will eat it.
18. There are three things that are too wonderful for me,four that I do not understand:
19. the way of an eagle in the sky,the way of a snake on a rock,the way of a ship in the sea,and the way of a man with a woman.
20. This is the way of an adulterous woman:she eats and wipes her mouthand says, “I have not done wrong.”
21. Under three things the earth trembles,and under four things it cannot bear up:
22. under a servant who becomes king,under a fool who is stuffed with food,
23. under an unloved woman who is married,and under a female servant who dispossesses her mistress.
24. There are four things on earth that are small,but they are exceedingly wise:
25. ants are creatures with little strength,but they prepare their food in the summer;
26. rock badgers are creatures with little power,but they make their homes in the crags;
27. locusts have no king,but they all go forward by ranks;
28. a lizard you can catch with the hand,but it gets into the palaces of the king.
29. There are three things that are magnificent in their step,four things that move about magnificently:
30. a lion, mightiest of the beasts,who does not retreat from anything;
31. a strutting rooster, a male goat,and a king with his army around him.
32. If you have done foolishly by exalting yourselfor if you have planned evil,put your hand over your mouth!
33. For as the churning of milk produces butterand as punching the nose produces blood,so stirring up anger produces strife.