Job 12
1 And Job answered and said,
Then answered Job, and said,
2 Truly ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you!
Truly ye are indeed the [right kind of] people, and with you wisdom must die out.
3 I also have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; and who knoweth not such things as these?
I also have sense like you; I do not fall short compared with you: and who possesseth not 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 one laughed at by his friend, who calleth upon God, while he answered him: [yea, ] a laughing-stock though righteous and innocent.
5 He that is ready to stumble with the foot is a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
To the unfortunate there is given contempt— according to the thoughts of him that is at ease— prepared [also] for those whose foot slippeth.
6 The tents of desolators are in peace, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth.
Prosperous are the tents of robbers, and security is given to those that provoke God. to him who carrieth his god in his hand.
7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowl of the heavens, and they shall tell thee;
Yet, do only ask of the beasts, and they will instruct thee; and the fowls of the heavens, and they will tell it 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 she will instruct thee; and the fishes of the sea will inform thee
9 Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this?
Who knoweth not through all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all flesh of man.
[He] in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all the bodies of men?
11 Doth not the ear try words, as the palate tasteth food?
Doth not the ear try words, as the palate tasteth food for itself?
12 With the aged is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.
So It with the ancients wisdom, and with [those of] length of days understanding,
13 With him is wisdom and might; he hath counsel and understanding.
That with him are wisdom and strength, his are 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 pulleth down, and there can be no rebuilding: he locketh [the prison] upon 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 restraineth the waters, and they dry up; or he suffereth them to flow, and they overturn the earth.
16 With him is strength and effectual knowledge; the deceived and the deceiver are his.
With him are strength and counsel: his are the deceived and the deceiver.
17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and judges maketh he fools;
He leadeth counsellors away bereft of sense, and maketh the judges fools.
18 He weakeneth the government of kings, and bindeth their loins with a fetter;
He looseth the bond of kings, and bindeth a girdle around their loins.
19 He leadeth priests away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty;
He leadeth priests away bereft of sense, and the powerful he causeth to walk on crooked paths.
20 He depriveth of speech the trusty, and taketh away the judgment of the elders;
He removeth the speech from trusty speakers, and taketh away the intelligence of the aged.
21 He poureth contempt upon nobles, and slackeneth the girdle of the mighty;
He poureth contempt upon princes, and the belt of the mighty be looseneth.
22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out into light the shadow of death;
He layeth open deep things from the midst of darkness, and bringeth out unto light the shadow of death.
23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; he spreadeth out the nations, and bringeth them in;
He permitteth the nations to become great, and destroyeth them: he spreadeth out the nations, and leadeth 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.
He taketh away the sense of the chiefs of the people of the land, and causeth them to wander astray in a wilderness when 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 causeth them to wander astray like a drunken man.
