Job 12
1 Then Job answered:
Then Job answered and said:
2 “Truly then you are the people with whom wisdom itself will die!
No doubt but ye are the people, 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 have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
4 I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.
I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbour, a man that called upon God, and He answered him; the just, the innocent man is a laughing-stock,
5 The one at ease scorns misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
A contemptible brand in the thought of him that is at ease, a thing ready for them whose foot slippeth.
6 The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure— those who carry their god in their hands.
The tents of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure, in whatsoever God bringeth into their hand.
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, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee;
8 Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee;
9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?
Who knoweth not among all these, that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
10 The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. —
11 Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes its food?
Doth not the ear try words, even as the palate tasteth its food?
12 Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.
Is wisdom with aged men, and understanding in length of days? —
13 Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.
With Him is wisdom and might; He hath counsel and understanding.
14 What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.
Behold, He breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
15 If He holds back the waters, they dry up, and if He releases them, they overwhelm the land.
Behold, He withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; also He sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
16 True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His.
With Him is strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His.
17 He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.
He leadeth counsellors away stripped, and judges maketh He fools.
18 He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists.
He looseth the bond of kings, and bindeth their loins with a girdle.
19 He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established.
He leadeth priests away stripped, and overthroweth the mighty.
20 He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.
He removeth the speech of men of trust, and taketh away the sense of the elders.
21 He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.
He poureth contempt upon princes, and looseth the belt of the strong.
22 He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light.
He uncovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
23 He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them.
He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; He enlargeth the nations, and leadeth them away.
24 He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.
He taketh away the heart of the chiefs of the people of the land, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
25 They grope in the darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunkards.
They grope in the dark without light, and He maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
