Truly you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!

And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.

Surely you have instructed many, and you have strengthened weak hands.

Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have strengthened the feeble knees.

Right words are grievous, but what does your rebuke prove?

I also could speak as you do, if your soul were in the place of my soul. I could heap up words against you, and shake my head at you.

But I would assure you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips would be restrained.

Make the weak hands strong, and make the feeble knees secure.

Say to those of anxious heart, Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.

With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him and taught Him in the path of justice; and taught Him knowledge, and made known the way of understanding to Him?

The coastlands saw and feared. The ends of the earth were afraid, and drew near and came.

So the craftsman encourages the refiner, and he who smooths with the hammer, him who struck the anvil, saying of the soldering, It is good. And he makes it steady with nails so that it will not be shaken.