Job 12

1 And Job answered and said,

And Job answers and says:

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

“Truly—you [are] the people, and wisdom dies 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?

I also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like 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 a laughter to his friend: He calls to God, and He answers him, A laughter [is] the perfect righteous one.

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

A torch—despised in the thoughts of the secure Is prepared for those sliding with the feet.

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

The tents of spoilers are at peace, And those provoking God have confidence, Into whose hand God has brought.

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

And yet, now ask [one of] the beasts, And it shows you, And a bird of the heavens, And it declares to you.

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

Or talk to the earth, and it shows you, And fishes of the sea recount to you:

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

Who has not known in all these, That the hand of YHWH has done 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 breath of every living thing, And the spirit of all flesh of man.

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

Does the ear not try words? And the palate taste food for itself?

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

With the very aged [is] wisdom, And [with] length of days [is] understanding.

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

With Him [are] wisdom and might, To Him [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 breaks down, and it is not built up, He shuts against a man, And it is not opened.

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

Behold, He keeps in the waters, and they are dried up, And He sends them forth, And they overturn the land.

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

With Him [are] strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.

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

Causing counselors to go away [as] a spoil, Indeed, He makes fools of judges.

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

He has opened the bands of kings, And He binds a girdle on their loins.

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

Causing ministers to go away [as] a spoil And strong ones He overthrows.

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

Turning aside the lip of the steadfast, And the reason of the aged He takes away.

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

Pouring contempt on princes, And the girdle of the mighty He made feeble.

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

Removing deep things out of darkness, And He brings out to light death-shade.

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

Magnifying the nations, and He destroys them, Spreading out the nations, and He quiets them.

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

Turning aside the heart Of the heads of the people of the land, And He causes them to wander In vacancy—no way!

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

They feel darkness, and not light, He causes them to wander as a drunkard.”