13 “To God belong wisdomp and power;q

counsel and understanding are his.r

14 What he tears downs cannot be rebuilt;t

those he imprisons cannot be released.u

15 If he holds back the waters,v there is drought;w

if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.x

16 To him belong strength and insight;y

both deceived and deceiver are his.z

17 He leads rulers away strippeda

and makes fools of judges.b

18 He takes off the shacklesc put on by kings

and ties a loinclothb around their waist.d

19 He leads priests away strippede

and overthrows officials long established.f

20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers

and takes away the discernment of elders.g

21 He pours contempt on noblesh

and disarms the mighty.i

22 He reveals the deep things of darknessj

and brings utter darknessk into the light.l

23 He makes nations great, and destroys them;m

he enlarges nations,n and disperses them.o

24 He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;p

he makes them wander in a trackless waste.q

25 They grope in darkness with no light;r

he makes them stagger like drunkards.s