There are three matters that are harmful to the body: An affliction of the heart is harmful to the body; an affliction due to intestinal illness is more harmful to the body than affliction of the heart; and poverty is more harmful than any of them. Rabbi Yehuda said: There are fourteen things, one more powerful than the next, and each one dominates the next. The depths are powerful, but the earth dominates it because it is flattened over it.
The earth is powerful, but the powerful mountains dominate it. The mountain is powerful, but iron dominates and shatters it. Iron is powerful, but fire melts it. Fire is powerful, but water dominates it and douses it.
Water is powerful, but the clouds carry it. Clouds are powerful, but the wind scatters them. The wind is powerful, but the wall dominates and withstands it. A wall is powerful, but a person dominates and demolishes it.
A person is powerful, but trouble frightens him. Trouble is powerful, but wine dominates and causes it to be forgotten. Wine is powerful, but sleep abates it. Sleep is powerful, but illness dominates and interrupts it.
Illness is powerful, but the angel of death dominates it and takes his life. And an evil woman is more powerful than all of them.