< Job 12 >
Then Iob answered, and sayde,
2 “No doubt, but you are the people, and wisdom will die with you.
In deede because that ye are the people onely, wisedome must dye with you.
3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who does not know such things as these?
But I haue vnderstanding aswel as you, and am not inferior vnto you: yea, who knoweth not such things?
4 I am like one who is a joke to his neighbor, I, who called on God, and he answered. The just, the blameless man is a joke.
I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth vpon God, and he heareth him: the iust and the vpright is laughed to scorne.
5 In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.
Hee that is readie to fall, is as a lampe despised in the opinion of the riche.
6 The tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their god in their hands.
The tabernacles of robbers doe prosper, and they are in safetie, that prouoke God, whome God hath enriched with his hand.
7 “But ask the animals now, and they will teach you; the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.
Aske now the beasts, and they shall teach thee, and the foules of the heauen, and they shall tell thee:
8 Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you. The fish of the sea will declare to you.
Or speake to the earth, and it shall shewe thee: or the fishes of the sea, and they shall declare vnto thee.
9 Who does not know that in all these, the LORD’s hand has done this,
Who is ignorant of all these, but that the hande of the Lord hath made these?
10 in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?
In whose hande is the soule of euery liuing thing, and the breath of all mankinde.
11 Does not the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?
Doeth not the eares discerne the words? and the mouth taste meate for it selfe?
12 With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding.
Among the ancient is wisedome, and in the length of dayes is vnderstanding.
13 “With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.
With him is wisedome and strength: he hath counsell and vnderstanding.
14 Behold, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.
Beholde, he will breake downe, and it can not be built: he shutteth a man vp, and he can not be loosed.
15 Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.
Beholde, he withholdeth the waters, and they drie vp: but when he sendeth them out, they destroy the earth.
16 With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his.
With him is strength and wisedome: hee that is deceiued, and that deceiueth, are his.
17 He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.
He causeth the counsellers to goe as spoyled, and maketh the iudges fooles.
18 He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.
He looseth the collar of Kings, and girdeth their loynes with a girdle.
19 He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.
He leadeth away the princes as a pray, and ouerthroweth the mightie.
20 He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.
He taketh away the speach from the faithfull counsellers, and taketh away the iudgement of the ancient.
21 He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.
He powreth contempt vpon princes, and maketh the strength of the mightie weake.
22 He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.
He discouereth the deepe places from their darkenesse, and bringeth foorth the shadowe of death to light.
23 He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.
He increaseth the people, and destroyeth them: he inlargeth the nations, and bringeth them in againe.
24 He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
He taketh away the heartes of the that are the chiefe ouer the people of the earth, and maketh them to wander in the wildernes out of the way.
25 They grope in the dark without light. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.
They grope in the darke without light: and he maketh the to stagger like a drunken man.