53 O how foolish, and how vain, and how evil, and devilish, and how quick to do iniquity, and how slow to do good, are the children of men;
54 Yea, how quick to hearken unto the words of the evil one, and to set their hearts upon the vain things of the world; yea, how quick to be lifted up in pride; yea, how quick to boast, and do all manner of that which is iniquity;
55 And how slow are they to remember the Lord their God, and to give ear unto his counsels; yea, how slow to walk in wisdom's paths!
56 Behold, they do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath created them, should rule and reign over them; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards them; they do set at nought his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide.
57 O how great is the nothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are less than the dust of the earth.
58 For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and thither, to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting God;
59 Yea, behold, at his voice doth the hills and the mountains tremble and quake; and by the power of his voice they are broken up, and become smooth, yea, even like unto a valley;
60 Yea, by the power of his voice doth the whole earth shake; yea, by the power of his voice, doth the foundations rock, even to the very center;
61 Yea, and if he say unto the earth, Move, it is moved; yea, if he say unto the earth, Thou shalt go back, that it lengthen out the day for many hours, it is done:
62 And thus according to his word, the earth goeth back, and it appeareth unto man that the sun standeth still: yea, and behold, this is so; for sure it is the earth that moveth, and not the sun.
63 And behold, also, if he say unto the waters of the great deep, Be thou dried up, it is done.
