Job 12
1 Then Iob answered, and sayde,
And Job made answer and said,
2 In deede because that ye are the people onely, wisedome must dye with you.
No doubt you have knowledge, and wisdom will come to an end with you.
3 But I haue vnderstanding aswel as you, and am not inferior vnto you: yea, who knoweth not such things?
But I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of 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.
It seems that I am to be as one who is a cause of laughing to his neighbour, one who makes his prayer to God and is answered! the upright man who has done no wrong is to be made sport of!
5 Hee that is readie to fall, is as a lampe despised in the opinion of the riche.
In the thought of him who is in comfort there is no respect for one who is in trouble; such is 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.
There is wealth in the tents of those who make destruction, and those by whom God is moved to wrath are safe; even those whose god is their strength.
7 Aske now the beasts, and they shall teach thee, and the foules of the heauen, and they shall tell thee:
But put now a question to the beasts, and get teaching from them; or to the birds of the heaven, and they will make it clear to 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 to the things which go flat on the earth, and they will give you wisdom; and the fishes of the sea will give you news of it.
9 Who is ignorant of all these, but that the hande of the Lord hath made these?
Who does not see by all these 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.
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man.
11 Doeth not the eares discerne the words? and the mouth taste meate for it selfe?
Are not words tested by the ear, even as food is tasted by the mouth?
12 Among the ancient is wisedome, and in the length of dayes is vnderstanding.
Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge.
13 With him is wisedome and strength: he hath counsell and vnderstanding.
With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge 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.
Truly, there is no building up of what is pulled down by him; when a man is shut up by him, no one may let him loose.
15 Beholde, he withholdeth the waters, and they drie vp: but when he sendeth them out, they destroy the earth.
Truly, he keeps back the waters and they are dry; he sends them out and the earth is overturned.
16 With him is strength and wisedome: hee that is deceiued, and that deceiueth, are his.
With him are strength and wise designs; he who is guided into error, together with his guide, are in his hands;
17 He causeth the counsellers to goe as spoyled, and maketh the iudges fooles.
He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;
18 He looseth the collar of Kings, and girdeth their loynes with a girdle.
He undoes the chains of kings, and puts his band on them;
19 He leadeth away the princes as a pray, and ouerthroweth the mightie.
He makes priests prisoners, overturning those in safe positions;
20 He taketh away the speach from the faithfull counsellers, and taketh away the iudgement of the ancient.
He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;
21 He powreth contempt vpon princes, and maketh the strength of the mightie weake.
He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong;
22 He discouereth the deepe places from their darkenesse, and bringeth foorth the shadowe of death to light.
Uncovering deep things out of the dark, and making the deep shade bright;
23 He increaseth the people, and destroyeth them: he inlargeth the nations, and bringeth them in againe.
Increasing nations, and sending destruction on them; making wide the lands of peoples, and then giving them up.
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 takes away the wisdom of the rulers of the earth, and sends them wandering in a waste where there is no way.
25 They grope in the darke without light: and he maketh the to stagger like a drunken man.
They go feeling about in the dark without light, wandering without help like those overcome with wine.
