Job 12
1 Then answered Job, and said,
Then Iob answered, and sayde,
2 Truly ye are indeed the [right kind of] people, and with you wisdom must die out.
In deede because that ye are the people onely, wisedome must dye 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 haue vnderstanding aswel as you, and am not inferior vnto you: yea, who knoweth not such things?
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 as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth vpon God, and he heareth him: the iust and the vpright is laughed to scorne.
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.
Hee that is readie to fall, is as a lampe despised in the opinion of the riche.
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 tabernacles of robbers doe prosper, and they are in safetie, that prouoke God, whome God hath enriched with his hand.
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;
Aske now the beasts, and they shall teach thee, and the foules of the heauen, and they shall tell thee:
8 Or speak to the earth, and she will instruct thee; and the fishes of the sea will inform thee
Or speake to the earth, and it shall shewe thee: or the fishes of the sea, and they shall declare vnto thee.
9 Who knoweth not through all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?
Who is ignorant of all these, but that the hande of the Lord hath made these?
10 [He] in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all the bodies of men?
In whose hande is the soule of euery liuing thing, and the breath of all mankinde.
11 Doth not the ear try words, as the palate tasteth food for itself?
Doeth not the eares discerne the words? and the mouth taste meate for it selfe?
12 So It with the ancients wisdom, and with [those of] length of days understanding,
Among the ancient is wisedome, and in the length of dayes is vnderstanding.
13 That with him are wisdom and strength, his are counsel and understanding.
With him is wisedome and strength: he hath counsell and vnderstanding.
14 Behold, he pulleth down, and there can be no rebuilding: he locketh [the prison] upon a man, and there can be no opening,
Beholde, he will breake downe, and it can not be built: he shutteth a man vp, and he can not be loosed.
15 Behold, he restraineth the waters, and they dry up; or he suffereth them to flow, and they overturn the earth.
Beholde, he withholdeth the waters, and they drie vp: but when he sendeth them out, they destroy the earth.
16 With him are strength and counsel: his are the deceived and the deceiver.
With him is strength and wisedome: hee that is deceiued, and that deceiueth, are his.
17 He leadeth counsellors away bereft of sense, and maketh the judges fools.
He causeth the counsellers to goe as spoyled, and maketh the iudges fooles.
18 He looseth the bond of kings, and bindeth a girdle around their loins.
He looseth the collar of Kings, and girdeth their loynes with a girdle.
19 He leadeth priests away bereft of sense, and the powerful he causeth to walk on crooked paths.
He leadeth away the princes as a pray, and ouerthroweth the mightie.
20 He removeth the speech from trusty speakers, and taketh away the intelligence of the aged.
He taketh away the speach from the faithfull counsellers, and taketh away the iudgement of the ancient.
21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and the belt of the mighty be looseneth.
He powreth contempt vpon princes, and maketh the strength of the mightie weake.
22 He layeth open deep things from the midst of darkness, and bringeth out unto light the shadow of death.
He discouereth the deepe places from their darkenesse, and bringeth foorth the shadowe of death to light.
23 He permitteth the nations to become great, and destroyeth them: he spreadeth out the nations, and leadeth them away.
He increaseth the people, and destroyeth them: he inlargeth the nations, and bringeth them in againe.
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 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.
25 They grope in the dark without light, and he causeth them to wander astray like a drunken man.
They grope in the darke without light: and he maketh the to stagger like a drunken man.
