Job 12

1 And Job answered and said,

Then Job answered and said,

2 Truly ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you!

No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

3 I also have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; and who knoweth not such things as these?

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who does not know such things as these?

4 I am to be one that is a derision to his friend, I who call upon God, and whom he will answer: a derision is the just upright [man].

I am as a man who is a laughing-stock to his neighbor. I who called upon God, and he answered. The just, the perfect man is a laughing-stock.

5 He that is ready to stumble with the foot is a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for calamity. It is ready for those whose foot slips.

6 The tents of desolators are in peace, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth.

The tents of robbers prosper, and those who provoke God are secure. Into whose hand God brings abundantly.

7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowl of the heavens, and they shall tell thee;

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee, and the birds of the heavens, and they shall tell thee.

8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee, and the fishes of the sea shall declare to thee.

9 Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this?

Who does not know in all these, that the hand of Jehovah has wrought this,

10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all flesh of man.

in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?

11 Doth not the ear try words, as the palate tasteth food?

Does not the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?

12 With the aged is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.

With aged men is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.

13 With him is wisdom and might; he hath counsel and understanding.

With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.

14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it is not built again; he shutteth up a man, and there is no opening.

Behold, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again. He shuts up a man, and there can be no opening.

15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; and he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.

16 With him is strength and effectual knowledge; the deceived and the deceiver are his.

With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his.

17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and judges maketh he fools;

He leads counselors away stripped, and he makes judges fools.

18 He weakeneth the government of kings, and bindeth their loins with a fetter;

He loosens the bond of kings, and he binds their loins with a belt.

19 He leadeth priests away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty;

He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.

20 He depriveth of speech the trusty, and taketh away the judgment of the elders;

He removes the speech of the trustworthy, and takes away the understanding of the elders.

21 He poureth contempt upon nobles, and slackeneth the girdle of the mighty;

He pours contempt upon rulers, and weakens the strength of the strong.

22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out into light the shadow of death;

He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.

23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; he spreadeth out the nations, and bringeth them in;

He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.

24 He taketh away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a pathless waste.

He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunkard.

They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them to stagger like a drunken man.