Job 12
1 Then answered Job, and said,
Then responded Job, and said: —
2 Truly ye are indeed the [right kind of] people, and with you wisdom must die out.
Of a truth, ye, are the people, and, with you, wisdom, will die.
3 I also have sense like you; I do not fall short compared with you: and who possesseth not such things as these?
I also, have a mind like you, I, fall not short, of you, But who hath not 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.
A laughing-stock to one’s neighbour, do I become, one who hath called upon GOD and he hath answered him! A laughing-stock—a righteous man without blame!
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.
For ruin, there is contempt, in the thought of the man at ease, —ready, for such as are of faltering foot!
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.
At peace are the tents that belong to the spoilers, and there is security to them who provoke GOD, To him who bringeth a god in 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;
But, in very deed, ask, I pray thee, the beasts, and they will teach thee, and the bird of the heavens, and it will tell thee;
8 Or speak to the earth, and she will instruct thee; and the fishes of the sea will inform thee
Or address the earth, and it will teach thee, and the fishes of the sea, will recount it to thee:
9 Who knoweth not through all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?
Who knoweth not, among all these, that, the hand of Yahweh, hath 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 soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all the flesh of men.
11 Doth not the ear try words, as the palate tasteth food for itself?
Doth not, the ear, try, words? even as, the palate, tasteth for itself, food?
12 So It with the ancients wisdom, and with [those of] length of days understanding,
In the Ancient, is wisdom, and [in] Length of Days, understanding:
13 That with him are wisdom and strength, his are counsel and understanding.
With Him, are wisdom and strength, to Him, pertain 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,
Lo! He pulleth down, and it cannot be built, He closeth up over a man, and it cannot be opened:
15 Behold, he restraineth the waters, and they dry up; or he suffereth them to flow, and they overturn the earth.
Lo! He holdeth back the waters, and they dry up, or sendeth them out, and they transform the earth:
16 With him are strength and counsel: his are the deceived and the deceiver.
With Him, is strength and effective wisdom, to Him, belong he that erreth, and he that causeth to err.
17 He leadeth counsellors away bereft of sense, and maketh the judges fools.
Who leadeth away counsellors [as] a spoil, and, judges, He befooleth:
18 He looseth the bond of kings, and bindeth a girdle around their loins.
The fetters of kings, He looseth, or hath bound a slave’s waistcloth about their loins:
19 He leadeth priests away bereft of sense, and the powerful he causeth to walk on crooked paths.
Who leadeth away priests [as] a spoil, and, men firmly seated, He overturneth:
20 He removeth the speech from trusty speakers, and taketh away the intelligence of the aged.
Setting aside the speech of the trusty, and, the discernment of elders, He taketh away:
21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and the belt of the mighty be looseneth.
Pouring contempt upon nobles, and, the girdle of the mighty, hath He loosed:
22 He layeth open deep things from the midst of darkness, and bringeth out unto light the shadow of death.
Laying open deep things, out of darkness, and bringing out to light, the death-shade:
23 He permitteth the nations to become great, and destroyeth them: he spreadeth out the nations, and leadeth them away.
Who giveth greatness to nations, or destroyeth them, Who spreadeth out nations, or leadeth them into exile:
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.
Who taketh away the sense of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and hath caused them to wander in a pathless waste:
25 They grope in the dark without light, and he causeth them to wander astray like a drunken man.
They grope about in the dark, having no light, and He hath made them to reel, like a drunken man.
