Job 12

1 And Job answered and said,

And Job answereth and saith: —

2 So then ye [alone] are men, and wisdom shall die with you?

Truly — ye [are] the people, And with you doth wisdom die.

3 [But] I also have a heart as well as you.

I also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like these?

4 For a righteous and blameless man has become a subject for mockery.

A laughter to his friend I am: 'He calleth to God, and He answereth him,' A laughter [is] the perfect righteous one.

5 For it had been ordained that he should fall under others at the appointed time, and that his houses should be spoiled by transgressors: let not however any one trust that, being evil, he shall be [held] guiltless,

A torch — despised in the thoughts of the secure Is prepared for those sliding with the feet.

6 even as many as provoke the Lord, as if there were indeed to be no inquisition [made] of them.

At peace are the tents of spoilers, And those provoking God have confidence, He into whose hand God hath brought.

7 But ask now the beasts, if they may speak to thee; and the birds of the air, if they may declare to thee.

And yet, ask, I pray thee, [One of] the beasts, and it doth shew thee, And a fowl of the heavens, And it doth declare to thee.

8 Tell the earth, if it may speak to thee: and the fishes of the sea shall explain to thee.

Or talk to the earth, and it sheweth thee, And fishes of the sea recount to thee:

9 Who then has not known in all these things, that the hand of the Lord has made them?

'Who hath not known in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath done this?

10 Whereas the life of all living things is in his hand, and the breath of every man.

In whose hand [is] the breath of every living thing, And the spirit of all flesh of man.'

11 For the ear tries words, and the palate tastes meats.

Doth not the ear try words? And the palate taste food for itself?

12 In length of time is wisdom, and in long life knowledge.

With the very aged [is] wisdom, And [with] length of days understanding.

13 With him are wisdom and power, with him counsel and understanding.

With Him [are] wisdom and might, To him [are] counsel and understanding.

14 If he should cast down, who will build up? if he should shut up against man, who shall open?

Lo, He breaketh down, and it is not built up, He shutteth against a man, And it is not opened.

15 If he should withhold the water, he will dry the earth: and if he should let it loose, he overthrows and destroys it.

Lo, He keepeth in the waters, and they are dried up, And he sendeth them forth, And they overturn the land.

16 With him are strength and power: he has knowledge and understanding.

With Him [are] strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.

17 He leads counsellors away captive, and maddens the judges of the earth.

Causing counsellors to go away a spoil, And judges He maketh foolish.

18 He seats kings upon thrones, and girds their loins with a girdle.

The bands of kings He hath opened, And He bindeth a girdle on their loins.

19 He sends away priests into captivity, and overthrows the mighty ones of the earth.

Causing ministers to go away a spoil And strong ones He overthroweth.

20 He changes the lips of the trusty, and he knows the understanding of the elders.

Turning aside the lip of the stedfast, And the reason of the aged He taketh away.

21 He pours dishonour upon princes, and heals the lowly.

Pouring contempt upon princes, And the girdle of the mighty He made feeble.

22 Revealing deep things out of darkness: and he has brought into light the shadow of death.

Removing deep things out of darkness, And He bringeth out to light death-shade.

23 Causing the nations to wander, and destroying them: overthrowing the nations, and leading them [away].

Magnifying the nations, and He destroyeth them, Spreading out the nations, and He quieteth them.

24 Perplexing the minds of the princes of the earth: and he causes them to wander in a way, they have not known, [saying],

Turning aside the heart Of the heads of the people of the land, And he causeth them to wander In vacancy — no way!

25 Let them grope [in] darkness, and [let there be] no light, and let them wander as a drunken man.

They feel darkness, and not light, He causeth them to wander as a drunkard.