Job 12
1 And Job made answer and said,
Then answered Job, and said,
2 No doubt you have knowledge, and wisdom will come to an end with you.
Truly ye are indeed the [right kind of] people, and with you wisdom must die out.
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?
I also have sense like you; I do not fall short compared with you: and who possesseth 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 laughed at by his friend, who calleth upon God, while he answered him: [yea, ] a laughing-stock though righteous and innocent.
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.
To the unfortunate there is given contempt— according to the thoughts of him that is at ease— prepared [also] for those whose foot slippeth.
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.
Prosperous are the tents of robbers, and security is given to those that provoke God. to him who carrieth his god in his hand.
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;
Yet, do only ask of the beasts, and they will instruct thee; and the fowls of the heavens, and they will tell it thee;
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 she will instruct thee; and the fishes of the sea will inform thee
9 Who does not see by all these that the hand of the Lord has done this?
Who knoweth not through all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man.
[He] in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all the bodies of men?
11 Are not words tested by the ear, even as food is tasted by the mouth?
Doth not the ear try words, as the palate tasteth food for itself?
12 Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge.
So It with the ancients wisdom, and with [those of] length of days understanding,
13 With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge are his.
That with him are wisdom and strength, his are 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 pulleth down, and there can be no rebuilding: he locketh [the prison] upon 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 restraineth the waters, and they dry up; or he suffereth them to flow, 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 are strength and counsel: his are the deceived and the deceiver.
17 He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;
He leadeth counsellors away bereft of sense, and maketh the judges fools.
18 He undoes the chains of kings, and puts his band on them;
He looseth the bond of kings, and bindeth a girdle around their loins.
19 He makes priests prisoners, overturning those in safe positions;
He leadeth priests away bereft of sense, and the powerful he causeth to walk on crooked paths.
20 He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;
He removeth the speech from trusty speakers, and taketh away the intelligence of the aged.
21 He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong;
He poureth contempt upon princes, and the belt of the mighty be looseneth.
22 Uncovering deep things out of the dark, and making the deep shade bright;
He layeth open deep things from the midst of darkness, and bringeth out unto 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 permitteth the nations to become great, and destroyeth them: he spreadeth out the nations, and leadeth them away.
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 taketh away the sense of the chiefs of the people of the land, and causeth them to wander astray in a wilderness when 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 causeth them to wander astray like a drunken man.
