Job 12
1 Then Job, answering, said:
Then Job answered and said:
2 Are you, therefore, alone among men, and will wisdom die with you?
No doubt ye are the whole people! And wisdom will die 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 have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
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 become a laughing-stock to my friend, —I who call upon God, that he would answer me! The innocent and upright man is held in derision.
5 The lamp that is despised in the thoughts of the rich is ready for the appointed time.
To calamity belongeth contempt in the mind of one at ease; It is ready for them that slip with the feet.
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 tents of robbers are in prosperity, And they who provoke God are secure, Who carry their God in their hand.
7 In truth, ask the mules, and they will teach you, and the birds of the sky, and they will reveal to you.
For ask now the beasts, and they will teach thee; Or the fowls of the air, and they will tell thee;
8 Speak with the earth, and it will respond to you, and the fish of the sea will explain.
Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct thee; And the fishes of the sea will declare unto thee.
9 Who is ignorant that the hand of the Lord has made all these things?
Who among all these doth not know That the hand of Jehovah doeth these things?
10 In his hand is the soul of all the living and the spirit of all the flesh of mankind.
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind.
11 Does not the ear perceive words, and the palate, when eating, perceive flavor?
Doth not the ear prove words, As the mouth tasteth meat?
12 In old age is wisdom, and in length of days is prudence.
With the aged is wisdom, And with length of days is understanding.
13 With him is wisdom and strength, he has counsel and understanding.
With Him are wisdom and strength; With Him counsel and understanding.
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.
Lo! he pulleth down, and it shall not be rebuilt; He bindeth a man, and he shall not be set loose.
15 If he restrains the waters, everything will dry up; and if he sends them forth, they will subdue the land.
Lo! he withholdeth the waters, and they are dried up; He sendeth them forth, and they lay waste the earth.
16 With him is strength and wisdom; he knows both the deceiver and he who is deceived.
With him are strength and wisdom; The deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 He leads advisors to a foolish end and judges to stupidity.
He leadeth counsellors away captive, And judges he maketh fools.
18 He removes the belt of kings and encircles their waist with a rope.
He looseth the authority of kings, And bindeth their loins with a cord.
19 He leads away priests in dishonor and displaces nobles,
He leadeth priests away captive, And overthroweth the mighty.
20 altering the lips of those who speak the truth and sweeping away the teaching of the aged.
He removeth speech from the trusty, And taketh away judgment from the elders.
21 He pours disdain upon the leaders, relieving those who had been oppressed.
He poureth contempt upon princes, And looseth the girdle of the mighty.
22 He reveals the depths of the darkness, and he brings the shadow of death into the light.
He revealeth deep things out of darkness, And bringeth the shadow of death to light.
23 He multiplies peoples, and destroys them, and, having been overthrown, he restores them anew.
He exalteth nations, and destroyeth them; He enlargeth nations, and leadeth them captive.
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 understanding of the great men of the land, And causeth them to wander in a wilderness, where is no path;
25 They will grope as in the darkness, not the light, and he will make them stagger like drunkards.
They grope in the dark without light; He maketh them stagger like a drunken man.
