Job 12
1 And Job made answer and said,
Sotheli Joob answeride, and seide,
2 No doubt you have knowledge, and wisdom will come to an end with you.
Therfor ben ye men aloone, that wisdom dwelle 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?
And to me is an herte, as and to you, and Y am not lowere than ye; for who knowith not these thingis, whiche ye knowen?
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!
He that is scorned of his frend, as Y am, schal inwardli clepe God, and God schal here hym; for the symplenesse of a iust man is scorned.
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.
A laumpe is dispisid at the thouytis of riche men, and the laumpe is maad redi to a tyme ordeyned.
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 tabernaclis of robberis ben plenteuouse, `ether ful of goodis; and boldli thei terren God to wraththe, whanne he hath youe alle thingis in to her hondis.
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;
No wondur, ax thou beestis, and tho schulen teche thee; and axe thou volatilis of the eir, and tho schulen schewe to 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.
Speke thou to the erthe, and it schal answere thee; and the fischis of the see schulen telle tho thingis.
9 Who does not see by all these that the hand of the Lord has done this?
Who knowith not that the hond of the Lord made alle these thingis?
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man.
In whos hond the soule is of ech lyuynge thing, and the spirit, `that is, resonable soule, of ech fleisch of man.
11 Are not words tested by the ear, even as food is tasted by the mouth?
Whether the eere demeth not wordis, and the chekis of the etere demen sauour?
12 Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge.
Wisdom is in elde men, and prudence is in myche tyme.
13 With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge are his.
Wisdom and strengthe is at God; he hath counsel and vndurstondyng.
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.
If he distrieth, no man is that bildith; if he schittith in a man, `noon is that openith.
15 Truly, he keeps back the waters and they are dry; he sends them out and the earth is overturned.
If he holdith togidere watris, alle thingis schulen be maad drie; if he sendith out tho watris, tho schulen distrie the erthe.
16 With him are strength and wise designs; he who is guided into error, together with his guide, are in his hands;
Strengthe and wisdom is at God; he knowith bothe hym that disseyueth and hym that is disseyued.
17 He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;
And he bryngith conselours in to a fonned eende, and iugis in to wondryng, ethir astonying.
18 He undoes the chains of kings, and puts his band on them;
He vnbindith the girdil of kyngis, and girdith her reynes with a coorde.
19 He makes priests prisoners, overturning those in safe positions;
He ledith her prestis with out glorie, and he disseyueth the principal men, `ethir counselours;
20 He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;
and he chaungith the lippis of sothefast men, and takith awei the doctrine of elde men.
21 He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong;
He schedith out dispisyng on princes, and releeueth hem, that weren oppressid.
22 Uncovering deep things out of the dark, and making the deep shade bright;
Which schewith depe thingis fro derknessis; and bryngith forth in to liyt the schadewe of deeth.
23 Increasing nations, and sending destruction on them; making wide the lands of peoples, and then giving them up.
Which multiplieth folkis, and leesith hem, and restorith hem destried in to the hool.
24 He takes away the wisdom of the rulers of the earth, and sends them wandering in a waste where there is no way.
Which chaungith the herte of princes of the puple of erthe; and disseyueth hem, that thei go in veyn out of the weie.
25 They go feeling about in the dark without light, wandering without help like those overcome with wine.
Thei schulen grope, as in derknessis, and not in liyt; and he schal make hem to erre as drunken men.
