Job 12
1 And Job answered and said,
And Job answered and said,
2 Truly ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you!
So then you [alone] are men, 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 also have a heart as well as you.
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].
For a righteous and blameless man has become a subject for mockery.
5 He that is ready to stumble with the foot is a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
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,
6 The tents of desolators are in peace, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth.
even as many as provoke the Lord, as if there were indeed to be no inquisition [made] of them.
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, if they may speak to you; and the birds of the air, if they may declare to you.
8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
Tell the earth, if it may speak to you: and the fishes of the sea shall explain to you.
9 Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this?
Who then has not known in all these things, that the hand of the Lord has made them?
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all flesh of man.
Whereas the life of all living things is in his hand, and the breath of every man.
11 Doth not the ear try words, as the palate tasteth food?
For the ear tries words, and the palate tastes meats.
12 With the aged is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.
In length of time is wisdom, and in long life knowledge.
13 With him is wisdom and might; he hath counsel and understanding.
With him are wisdom and power, with him counsel and understanding.
14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it is not built again; he shutteth up a man, and there is no opening.
If he should cast down, who will build up? if he should shut up against man, who shall open?
15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; and he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
If he should withhold the water, he will dry the earth: and if he should let it loose, he overthrows and destroys it.
16 With him is strength and effectual knowledge; the deceived and the deceiver are his.
With him are strength and power: he has knowledge and understanding.
17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and judges maketh he fools;
He leads counselors away captive, and maddens the judges of the earth.
18 He weakeneth the government of kings, and bindeth their loins with a fetter;
He seats kings upon thrones, and girds their loins with a girdle.
19 He leadeth priests away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty;
He sends away priests into captivity, and overthrows the mighty ones of the earth.
20 He depriveth of speech the trusty, and taketh away the judgment of the elders;
He changes the lips of the trusty, and he knows the understanding of the elders.
21 He poureth contempt upon nobles, and slackeneth the girdle of the mighty;
He pours dishonor upon princes, and heals the lowly.
22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out into light the shadow of death;
Revealing deep things out of darkness: and he has brought into light the shadow of death.
23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; he spreadeth out the nations, and bringeth them in;
Causing the nations to wander, and destroying them: overthrowing the nations, and leading them [away].
24 He taketh away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a pathless waste.
Perplexing the minds of the princes of the earth: and he causes them to wander in a way, they have not known, [saying],
25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunkard.
Let them grope [in] darkness, and [let there be] no light, and let them wander as a drunken man.
