Job 12
1 Then Job answered:
And Job answered and said,
2 “Truly then you are the people with whom wisdom itself will die!
No doubt but you 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: yes, who knows 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 mocked of his neighbor, who calls on God, and he answers him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
5 The one at ease scorns misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
6 The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure— those who carry their god in their hands.
The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God brings abundantly.
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 you; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell you:
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 you: and the fishes of the sea shall declare to you.
9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?
Who knows not in all these that the hand of the LORD has worked 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?
Does not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
12 Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
13 Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.
With him is wisdom and strength, he has counsel and understanding.
14 What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.
Behold, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again: he shuts 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 withholds the waters, and they dry up: also he sends 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 wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.
He leads counsellors away spoiled, and makes the judges fools.
18 He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists.
He looses the bond of kings, and girds their loins with a girdle.
19 He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established.
He leads princes away spoiled, and overthrows the mighty.
20 He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.
He removes away the speech of the trusty, and takes away the understanding of the aged.
21 He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.
He pours contempt on princes, and weakens the strength of the mighty.
22 He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light.
He discovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.
23 He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them.
He increases the nations, and destroys them: he enlarges the nations, and straitens them again.
24 He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.
He takes away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causes 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 makes them to stagger like a drunken man.
