Job 12
1 And Job made answer and said,
And Job answered and said,
2 No doubt you have knowledge, and wisdom will come to an end with you.
No doubt but all of you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
3 But I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of such things as these?
But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knows not such things as these?
4 It seems that I am to be as one who is a cause of laughing to his neighbour, one who makes his prayer to God and is answered! the upright man who has done no wrong is to be made sport of!
I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calls upon God, and he answers him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
5 In the thought of him who is in comfort there is no respect for one who is in trouble; such is 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 There is wealth in the tents of those who make destruction, and those by whom God is moved to wrath are safe; even those whose god is their strength.
The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God brings abundantly.
7 But put now a question to the beasts, and get teaching from them; or to the birds of the heaven, and they will make it clear to you;
But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach you; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell you:
8 Or to the things which go flat on the earth, and they will give you wisdom; and the fishes of the sea will give you news of it.
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto you.
9 Who does not see by all these that the hand of the Lord has done this?
Who knows not in all these that the hand of the LORD has wrought this?
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man.
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
11 Are not words tested by the ear, even as food is tasted by the mouth?
Does not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his food?
12 Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge.
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
13 With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge are his.
With him is wisdom and strength, he has counsel and understanding.
14 Truly, there is no building up of what is pulled down by him; when a man is shut up by him, no one may let him loose.
Behold, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again: he shuts up a man, and there can be no opening.
15 Truly, he keeps back the waters and they are dry; he sends them out and the earth is overturned.
Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up: also he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.
16 With him are strength and wise designs; he who is guided into error, together with his guide, are in his hands;
With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;
He leads counsellors away spoiled, and makes the judges fools.
18 He undoes the chains of kings, and puts his band on them;
He looses the bond of kings, and girds their loins with a girdle.
19 He makes priests prisoners, overturning those in safe positions;
He leads princes away spoiled, and overthrows the mighty.
20 He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;
He removes away the speech of the trusty, and takes away the understanding of the aged.
21 He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong;
He pours contempt upon princes, and weakens the strength of the mighty.
22 Uncovering deep things out of the dark, and making the deep shade bright;
He discovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.
23 Increasing nations, and sending destruction on them; making wide the lands of peoples, and then giving them up.
He increases the nations, and destroys them: he enlarges the nations, and straitens them again.
24 He takes away the wisdom of the rulers of the earth, and sends them wandering in a waste where there is no way.
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 go feeling about in the dark without light, wandering without help like those overcome with wine.
They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them to stagger like a drunken man.
