Job 12

1 And Job answered and said,

And Job answers and says:

2 No doubt but all of you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

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

3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knows 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 as one mocked of his neighbour, who calls upon God, and he answers him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

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 slip with his feet is as 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 tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God brings abundantly.

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 you; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell you:

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 you: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto you.

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

9 Who knows not in all these that the hand of the LORD has 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 breath of all mankind.

In whose hand [is] the breath of every living thing, And the spirit of all flesh of man.

11 Does not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his food?

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

12 With the ancient 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 strength, he has counsel and understanding.

With Him [are] wisdom and might, To Him [are] counsel and understanding.

14 Behold, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again: he shuts up a man, and there can be 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 withholds the waters, and they dry up: also he sends 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 wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

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

17 He leads counsellors away spoiled, and makes the judges fools.

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

18 He looses the bond of kings, and girds their loins with a girdle.

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

19 He leads princes away spoiled, and overthrows the mighty.

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

20 He removes away the speech of the trusty, and takes away the understanding of the aged.

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

21 He pours contempt upon princes, and weakens the strength of the mighty.

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

22 He discovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.

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

23 He increases the nations, and destroys them: he enlarges the nations, and straitens them again.

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

24 He takes away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

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 makes them to stagger like a drunken man.

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