Job 12
1 Then Iob answered, and sayde,
Sotheli Joob answeride, and seide,
2 In deede because that ye are the people onely, wisedome must dye with you.
Therfor ben ye men aloone, that wisdom dwelle with you?
3 But I haue vnderstanding aswel as you, and am not inferior vnto you: yea, who knoweth not such things?
And to me is an herte, as and to you, and Y am not lowere than ye; for who knowith not these thingis, whiche ye knowen?
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.
He that is scorned of his frend, as Y am, schal inwardli clepe God, and God schal here hym; for the symplenesse of a iust man is scorned.
5 Hee that is readie to fall, is as a lampe despised in the opinion of the riche.
A laumpe is dispisid at the thouytis of riche men, and the laumpe is maad redi to a tyme ordeyned.
6 The tabernacles of robbers doe prosper, and they are in safetie, that prouoke God, whome God hath enriched with his hand.
The tabernaclis of robberis ben plenteuouse, `ether ful of goodis; and boldli thei terren God to wraththe, whanne he hath youe alle thingis in to her hondis.
7 Aske now the beasts, and they shall teach thee, and the foules of the heauen, and they shall tell thee:
No wondur, ax thou beestis, and tho schulen teche thee; and axe thou volatilis of the eir, and tho schulen schewe to thee.
8 Or speake to the earth, and it shall shewe thee: or the fishes of the sea, and they shall declare vnto thee.
Speke thou to the erthe, and it schal answere thee; and the fischis of the see schulen telle tho thingis.
9 Who is ignorant of all these, but that the hande of the Lord hath made these?
Who knowith not that the hond of the Lord made alle these thingis?
10 In whose hande is the soule of euery liuing thing, and the breath of all mankinde.
In whos hond the soule is of ech lyuynge thing, and the spirit, `that is, resonable soule, of ech fleisch of man.
11 Doeth not the eares discerne the words? and the mouth taste meate for it selfe?
Whether the eere demeth not wordis, and the chekis of the etere demen sauour?
12 Among the ancient is wisedome, and in the length of dayes is vnderstanding.
Wisdom is in elde men, and prudence is in myche tyme.
13 With him is wisedome and strength: he hath counsell and vnderstanding.
Wisdom and strengthe is at God; he hath counsel and vndurstondyng.
14 Beholde, he will breake downe, and it can not be built: he shutteth a man vp, and he can not be loosed.
If he distrieth, no man is that bildith; if he schittith in a man, `noon is that openith.
15 Beholde, he withholdeth the waters, and they drie vp: but when he sendeth them out, they destroy the earth.
If he holdith togidere watris, alle thingis schulen be maad drie; if he sendith out tho watris, tho schulen distrie the erthe.
16 With him is strength and wisedome: hee that is deceiued, and that deceiueth, are his.
Strengthe and wisdom is at God; he knowith bothe hym that disseyueth and hym that is disseyued.
17 He causeth the counsellers to goe as spoyled, and maketh the iudges fooles.
And he bryngith conselours in to a fonned eende, and iugis in to wondryng, ethir astonying.
18 He looseth the collar of Kings, and girdeth their loynes with a girdle.
He vnbindith the girdil of kyngis, and girdith her reynes with a coorde.
19 He leadeth away the princes as a pray, and ouerthroweth the mightie.
He ledith her prestis with out glorie, and he disseyueth the principal men, `ethir counselours;
20 He taketh away the speach from the faithfull counsellers, and taketh away the iudgement of the ancient.
and he chaungith the lippis of sothefast men, and takith awei the doctrine of elde men.
21 He powreth contempt vpon princes, and maketh the strength of the mightie weake.
He schedith out dispisyng on princes, and releeueth hem, that weren oppressid.
22 He discouereth the deepe places from their darkenesse, and bringeth foorth the shadowe of death to light.
Which schewith depe thingis fro derknessis; and bryngith forth in to liyt the schadewe of deeth.
23 He increaseth the people, and destroyeth them: he inlargeth the nations, and bringeth them in againe.
Which multiplieth folkis, and leesith hem, and restorith hem destried in to the hool.
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.
Which chaungith the herte of princes of the puple of erthe; and disseyueth hem, that thei go in veyn out of the weie.
25 They grope in the darke without light: and he maketh the to stagger like a drunken man.
Thei schulen grope, as in derknessis, and not in liyt; and he schal make hem to erre as drunken men.
