Job 12
1 Then Job answered:
And Job answered and said,
2 “Truly then you are the people with whom wisdom itself will die!
So then ye [alone] are men, and wisdom shall die with you?
3 But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?
[But] I also have a heart as well as you.
4 I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.
For a righteous and blameless man has become a subject for mockery.
5 The one at ease scorns misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
For it had been ordained that he should fall under others at the appointed time, and that his houses should be spoiled by transgressors: let not however any one trust that, being evil, he shall be [held] guiltless,
6 The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure— those who carry their god in their hands.
even as many as provoke the Lord, as if there were indeed to be no inquisition [made] of them.
7 But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you.
But ask now the beasts, if they may speak to thee; and the birds of the air, if they may declare to thee.
8 Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.
Tell the earth, if it may speak to thee: and the fishes of the sea shall explain to thee.
9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?
Who then has not known in all these things, that the hand of the Lord has made them?
10 The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.
Whereas the life of all living things is in his hand, and the breath of every man.
11 Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes its food?
For the ear tries words, and the palate tastes meats.
12 Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.
In length of time is wisdom, and in long life knowledge.
13 Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.
With him are wisdom and power, with him counsel and understanding.
14 What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.
If he should cast down, who will build up? if he should shut up against man, who shall open?
15 If He holds back the waters, they dry up, and if He releases them, they overwhelm the land.
If he should withhold the water, he will dry the earth: and if he should let it loose, he overthrows and destroys it.
16 True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His.
With him are strength and power: he has knowledge and understanding.
17 He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.
He leads counsellors away captive, and maddens the judges of the earth.
18 He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists.
He seats kings upon thrones, and girds their loins with a girdle.
19 He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established.
He sends away priests into captivity, and overthrows the mighty ones of the earth.
20 He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.
He changes the lips of the trusty, and he knows the understanding of the elders.
21 He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.
He pours dishonour upon princes, and heals the lowly.
22 He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light.
Revealing deep things out of darkness: and he has brought into light the shadow of death.
23 He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them.
Causing the nations to wander, and destroying them: overthrowing the nations, and leading them [away].
24 He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.
Perplexing the minds of the princes of the earth: and he causes them to wander in a way, they have not known, [saying],
25 They grope in the darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunkards.
Let them grope [in] darkness, and [let there be] no light, and let them wander as a drunken man.
