Job 12
1 Then Iob answered, and sayde,
Then Job answered:
2 In deede because that ye are the people onely, wisedome must dye with you.
“Truly then you are the people with whom wisdom itself will die!
3 But I haue vnderstanding aswel as you, and am not inferior vnto you: yea, who knoweth not such things?
But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?
4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth vpon God, and he heareth him: the iust and the vpright is laughed to scorne.
I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.
5 Hee that is readie to fall, is as a lampe despised in the opinion of the riche.
The one at ease scorns misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
6 The tabernacles of robbers doe prosper, and they are in safetie, that prouoke God, whome God hath enriched with his hand.
The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure— those who carry their god in their hands.
7 Aske now the beasts, and they shall teach thee, and the foules of the heauen, and they shall tell thee:
But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you.
8 Or speake to the earth, and it shall shewe thee: or the fishes of the sea, and they shall declare vnto thee.
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.
9 Who is ignorant of all these, but that the hande of the Lord hath made these?
Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?
10 In whose hande is the soule of euery liuing thing, and the breath of all mankinde.
The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.
11 Doeth not the eares discerne the words? and the mouth taste meate for it selfe?
Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes its food?
12 Among the ancient is wisedome, and in the length of dayes is vnderstanding.
Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.
13 With him is wisedome and strength: he hath counsell and vnderstanding.
Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.
14 Beholde, he will breake downe, and it can not be built: he shutteth a man vp, and he can not be loosed.
What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.
15 Beholde, he withholdeth the waters, and they drie vp: but when he sendeth them out, they destroy the earth.
If He holds back the waters, they dry up, and if He releases them, they overwhelm the land.
16 With him is strength and wisedome: hee that is deceiued, and that deceiueth, are his.
True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His.
17 He causeth the counsellers to goe as spoyled, and maketh the iudges fooles.
He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.
18 He looseth the collar of Kings, and girdeth their loynes with a girdle.
He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists.
19 He leadeth away the princes as a pray, and ouerthroweth the mightie.
He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established.
20 He taketh away the speach from the faithfull counsellers, and taketh away the iudgement of the ancient.
He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.
21 He powreth contempt vpon princes, and maketh the strength of the mightie weake.
He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.
22 He discouereth the deepe places from their darkenesse, and bringeth foorth the shadowe of death to light.
He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light.
23 He increaseth the people, and destroyeth them: he inlargeth the nations, and bringeth them in againe.
He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them.
24 He taketh away the heartes of the that are the chiefe ouer the people of the earth, and maketh them to wander in the wildernes out of the way.
He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.
25 They grope in the darke without light: and he maketh the to stagger like a drunken man.
They grope in the darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunkards.
