¹⁴ The swift will not escape,^(A)
    the strong^(B) will not muster their strength,
    and the warrior will not save his life.^(C)

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom^(A)
    or the strong boast of their strength^(B)
    or the rich boast of their riches,^(C)

“Strike the tops of the pillars
    so that the thresholds shake.
Bring them down on the heads^(A) of all the people;
    those who are left I will kill with the sword.
Not one will get away,
    none will escape.^(B)
2 Though they dig down to the depths below,^(C)
    from there my hand will take them.
Though they climb up to the heavens above,^(D)
    from there I will bring them down.^(E)
3 Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel,^(F)
    there I will hunt them down and seize them.^(G)
Though they hide from my eyes at the bottom of the sea,^(H)
    there I will command the serpent^(I) to bite them.^(J)

The race is not to the swift
    or the battle to the strong,^(A)
nor does food come to the wise^(B)
    or wealth to the brilliant
    or favor to the learned;
but time and chance^(C) happen to them all.^(D)

¹⁶ No king is saved by the size of his army;^(A)
    no warrior escapes by his great strength.

¹⁶ You said, ‘No, we will flee^(A) on horses.’^(B)
    Therefore you will flee!
You said, ‘We will ride off on swift horses.’
    Therefore your pursuers will be swift!
¹⁷ A thousand will flee
    at the threat of one;
at the threat of five^(C)
    you will all flee^(D) away,
till you are left^(E)
    like a flagstaff on a mountaintop,
    like a banner^(F) on a hill.”

²⁰ But the eyes of the wicked will fail,^(A)
    and escape will elude them;^(B)
    their hope will become a dying gasp.”^(C)