Job 12
1 Then answered Job, and said,
Then Job answered,
2 Truly ye are indeed the [right kind of] people, and with you wisdom must die out.
“No doubt, but you are the people, and wisdom will die with you.
3 I also have sense like you; I do not fall short compared with you: and who possesseth not such things as these?
But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who does not know such things as these?
4 I am as one laughed at by his friend, who calleth upon God, while he answered him: [yea, ] a laughing-stock though righteous and innocent.
I am like one who is a joke to his neighbor, I, who called on God, and he answered. The just, the blameless man is a joke.
5 To the unfortunate there is given contempt— according to the thoughts of him that is at ease— prepared [also] for those whose foot slippeth.
In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.
6 Prosperous are the tents of robbers, and security is given to those that provoke God. to him who carrieth his god in his hand.
The tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their god in their hands.
7 Yet, do only ask of the beasts, and they will instruct thee; and the fowls of the heavens, and they will tell it thee;
“But ask the animals now, and they will teach you; the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.
8 Or speak to the earth, and she will instruct thee; and the fishes of the sea will inform thee
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you. The fish of the sea will declare to you.
9 Who knoweth not through all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?
Who does not know that in all these, the LORD’s hand has done this,
10 [He] in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all the bodies of men?
in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?
11 Doth not the ear try words, as the palate tasteth food for itself?
Does not the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?
12 So It with the ancients wisdom, and with [those of] length of days understanding,
With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding.
13 That with him are wisdom and strength, his are counsel and understanding.
“With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.
14 Behold, he pulleth down, and there can be no rebuilding: he locketh [the prison] upon a man, and there can be no opening,
Behold, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.
15 Behold, he restraineth the waters, and they dry up; or he suffereth them to flow, and they overturn the earth.
Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.
16 With him are strength and counsel: his are the deceived and the deceiver.
With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 He leadeth counsellors away bereft of sense, and maketh the judges fools.
He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.
18 He looseth the bond of kings, and bindeth a girdle around their loins.
He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.
19 He leadeth priests away bereft of sense, and the powerful he causeth to walk on crooked paths.
He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.
20 He removeth the speech from trusty speakers, and taketh away the intelligence of the aged.
He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.
21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and the belt of the mighty be looseneth.
He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.
22 He layeth open deep things from the midst of darkness, and bringeth out unto light the shadow of death.
He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.
23 He permitteth the nations to become great, and destroyeth them: he spreadeth out the nations, and leadeth them away.
He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.
24 He taketh away the sense of the chiefs of the people of the land, and causeth them to wander astray in a wilderness when there is no way.
He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
25 They grope in the dark without light, and he causeth them to wander astray like a drunken man.
They grope in the dark without light. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.
