Job 12

1 Then Job, answering, said:

Then Iob answered, and sayde,

2 Are you, therefore, alone among men, and will wisdom die with you?

In deede because that ye are the people onely, wisedome must dye with you.

3 And I have a heart just as you also do, and I am not inferior to you. For who is ignorant of these things, which you know?

But I haue vnderstanding aswel as you, and am not inferior vnto you: yea, who knoweth not such things?

4 He who is mocked by his friends as I am, will call upon God, and he will listen to him because it is the sincerity of the just that is being mocked.

I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth vpon God, and he heareth him: the iust and the vpright is laughed to scorne.

5 The lamp that is despised in the thoughts of the rich is ready for the appointed time.

Hee that is readie to fall, is as a lampe despised in the opinion of the riche.

6 The tabernacles of robbers are numerous, and they provoke God boldly; whereas, it is he who has given all things into their hands.

The tabernacles of robbers doe prosper, and they are in safetie, that prouoke God, whome God hath enriched with his hand.

7 In truth, ask the mules, and they will teach you, and the birds of the sky, and they will reveal to you.

Aske now the beasts, and they shall teach thee, and the foules of the heauen, and they shall tell thee:

8 Speak with the earth, and it will respond to you, and the fish of the sea will explain.

Or speake to the earth, and it shall shewe thee: or the fishes of the sea, and they shall declare vnto thee.

9 Who is ignorant that the hand of the Lord has made all these things?

Who is ignorant of all these, but that the hande of the Lord hath made these?

10 In his hand is the soul of all the living and the spirit of all the flesh of mankind.

In whose hande is the soule of euery liuing thing, and the breath of all mankinde.

11 Does not the ear perceive words, and the palate, when eating, perceive flavor?

Doeth not the eares discerne the words? and the mouth taste meate for it selfe?

12 In old age is wisdom, and in length of days is prudence.

Among the ancient is wisedome, and in the length of dayes is vnderstanding.

13 With him is wisdom and strength, he has counsel and understanding.

With him is wisedome and strength: he hath counsell and vnderstanding.

14 If he tears down, there is no one who can build up; if he encloses a man, there is no one who can open.

Beholde, he will breake downe, and it can not be built: he shutteth a man vp, and he can not be loosed.

15 If he restrains the waters, everything will dry up; and if he sends them forth, they will subdue the land.

Beholde, he withholdeth the waters, and they drie vp: but when he sendeth them out, they destroy the earth.

16 With him is strength and wisdom; he knows both the deceiver and he who is deceived.

With him is strength and wisedome: hee that is deceiued, and that deceiueth, are his.

17 He leads advisors to a foolish end and judges to stupidity.

He causeth the counsellers to goe as spoyled, and maketh the iudges fooles.

18 He removes the belt of kings and encircles their waist with a rope.

He looseth the collar of Kings, and girdeth their loynes with a girdle.

19 He leads away priests in dishonor and displaces nobles,

He leadeth away the princes as a pray, and ouerthroweth the mightie.

20 altering the lips of those who speak the truth and sweeping away the teaching of the aged.

He taketh away the speach from the faithfull counsellers, and taketh away the iudgement of the ancient.

21 He pours disdain upon the leaders, relieving those who had been oppressed.

He powreth contempt vpon princes, and maketh the strength of the mightie weake.

22 He reveals the depths of the darkness, and he brings the shadow of death into the light.

He discouereth the deepe places from their darkenesse, and bringeth foorth the shadowe of death to light.

23 He multiplies peoples, and destroys them, and, having been overthrown, he restores them anew.

He increaseth the people, and destroyeth them: he inlargeth the nations, and bringeth them in againe.

24 He transforms the heart of the leaders of the people on earth, and misleads those who in vain advance upon the inviolable.

He taketh away the heartes of the that are the chiefe ouer the people of the earth, and maketh them to wander in the wildernes out of the way.

25 They will grope as in the darkness, not the light, and he will make them stagger like drunkards.

They grope in the darke without light: and he maketh the to stagger like a drunken man.