Job 12
1 Then Job answered and said:
Sotheli Joob answeride, and seide,
2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
Therfor ben ye men aloone, that wisdom dwelle with you?
3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
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 that is a laughing-stock to his neighbour, a man that called upon God, and He answered him; the just, the innocent man is a laughing-stock,
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 A contemptible brand in the thought of him that is at ease, a thing ready for them whose foot slippeth.
A laumpe is dispisid at the thouytis of riche men, and the laumpe is maad redi to a tyme ordeyned.
6 The tents of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure, in whatsoever God bringeth into their 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 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, 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 speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee;
Speke thou to the erthe, and it schal answere thee; and the fischis of the see schulen telle tho thingis.
9 Who knoweth not among all these, that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
Who knowith not that the hond of the Lord made alle these thingis?
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. —
In whos hond the soule is of ech lyuynge thing, and the spirit, `that is, resonable soule, of ech fleisch of man.
11 Doth not the ear try words, even as the palate tasteth its food?
Whether the eere demeth not wordis, and the chekis of the etere demen sauour?
12 Is wisdom with aged men, and understanding in length of days? —
Wisdom is in elde men, and prudence is in myche tyme.
13 With Him is wisdom and might; He hath counsel and understanding.
Wisdom and strengthe is at God; he hath counsel and vndurstondyng.
14 Behold, He breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
If he distrieth, no man is that bildith; if he schittith in a man, `noon is that openith.
15 Behold, He withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; also He sendeth them out, and they overturn 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 sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His.
Strengthe and wisdom is at God; he knowith bothe hym that disseyueth and hym that is disseyued.
17 He leadeth counsellors away stripped, and judges maketh He fools.
And he bryngith conselours in to a fonned eende, and iugis in to wondryng, ethir astonying.
18 He looseth the bond of kings, and bindeth their loins with a girdle.
He vnbindith the girdil of kyngis, and girdith her reynes with a coorde.
19 He leadeth priests away stripped, and overthroweth the mighty.
He ledith her prestis with out glorie, and he disseyueth the principal men, `ethir counselours;
20 He removeth the speech of men of trust, and taketh away the sense of the elders.
and he chaungith the lippis of sothefast men, and takith awei the doctrine of elde men.
21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and looseth the belt of the strong.
He schedith out dispisyng on princes, and releeueth hem, that weren oppressid.
22 He uncovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
Which schewith depe thingis fro derknessis; and bryngith forth in to liyt the schadewe of deeth.
23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; He enlargeth the nations, and leadeth them away.
Which multiplieth folkis, and leesith hem, and restorith hem destried in to the hool.
24 He taketh away the heart of the chiefs of the people of the land, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no 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 dark without light, and He maketh them 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.
