Job 12
1 And Job made answer and said,
Then Job answered and said,
2 No doubt you have knowledge, and wisdom will come to an end with you.
“No doubt you are the people; wisdom will 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. Indeed, who does not know 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 something for my neighbor to laugh at— I, one who called on God and who was answered by him! I, a just and blameless man—I am now something to laugh at.
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.
In the thought of someone who is at ease, there is contempt for misfortune; he thinks in a way that brings more misfortune to those whose foot is slipping.
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 tents of robbers prosper, and those who provoke God feel secure; their own hands are their gods.
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 now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; ask the birds of the heavens, and they will 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 will teach you; the fish of the sea will declare to you.
9 Who does not see by all these that the hand of the Lord has done this?
Which animal among all these does not know that the hand of Yahweh has done this?
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man.
In his hand is the life 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 test words just as the palate tastes its food?
12 Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge.
With aged men is wisdom; in length of days is understanding.
13 With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge are his.
With God are wisdom and might; 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.
See, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again; if he imprisons someone, there can be no release.
15 Truly, he keeps back the waters and they are dry; he sends them out and the earth is overturned.
See, if he withholds the waters, they dry up; and if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.
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 wisdom; people who are deceived and the deceiver are both in his power.
17 He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;
He leads counselors away barefoot in sorrow; he turns judges into fools.
18 He undoes the chains of kings, and puts his band on them;
He takes off the chain of authority from kings; he wraps a cloth about their waists.
19 He makes priests prisoners, overturning those in safe positions;
He leads priests away barefoot in sorrow and overthrows mighty people.
20 He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;
He removes the speech of those who had been trusted and takes away the understanding of the elders.
21 He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong;
He pours contempt upon princes and unfastens the belt of strong people.
22 Uncovering deep things out of the dark, and making the deep shade bright;
He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light.
23 Increasing nations, and sending destruction on them; making wide the lands of peoples, and then giving them up.
He makes nations strong, and he also destroys them; He enlarges nations, and he also leads them along as prisoners.
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 understanding from the leaders of the people of the earth; he causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no path.
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; he makes them stagger like a drunk man.
