Job 12

1 And Job answers and says:

And Job made answer and said,

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

No doubt you have knowledge, and wisdom will come to an end with you.

3 I also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like these?

But I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of such things as these?

4 I am a laughter to his friend: He calls to God, and He answers him, A laughter [is] the perfect righteous one.

It seems that I am to be as one who is a cause of laughing to his neighbour, one who makes his prayer to God and is answered! the upright man who has done no wrong is to be made sport of!

5 A torch—despised in the thoughts of the secure Is prepared for those sliding with the feet.

In the thought of him who is in comfort there is no respect for one who is in trouble; such is the fate of those whose feet are slipping.

6 The tents of spoilers are at peace, And those provoking God have confidence, Into whose hand God has brought.

There is wealth in the tents of those who make destruction, and those by whom God is moved to wrath are safe; even those whose god is their strength.

7 And yet, now ask [one of] the beasts, And it shows you, And a bird of the heavens, And it declares to you.

But put now a question to the beasts, and get teaching from them; or to the birds of the heaven, and they will make it clear to you;

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

Or to the things which go flat on the earth, and they will give you wisdom; and the fishes of the sea will give you news of it.

9 Who has not known in all these, That the hand of YHWH has done this?

Who does not see by all these that the hand of the Lord has done this?

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

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man.

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

Are not words tested by the ear, even as food is tasted by the mouth?

12 With the very aged [is] wisdom, And [with] length of days [is] understanding.

Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge.

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

With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge are his.

14 Behold, He breaks down, and it is not built up, He shuts against a man, And it is not opened.

Truly, there is no building up of what is pulled down by him; when a man is shut up by him, no one may let him loose.

15 Behold, He keeps in the waters, and they are dried up, And He sends them forth, And they overturn the land.

Truly, he keeps back the waters and they are dry; he sends them out and the earth is overturned.

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

With him are strength and wise designs; he who is guided into error, together with his guide, are in his hands;

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

He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;

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

He undoes the chains of kings, and puts his band on them;

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

He makes priests prisoners, overturning those in safe positions;

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

He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;

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

He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong;

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

Uncovering deep things out of the dark, and making the deep shade bright;

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

Increasing nations, and sending destruction on them; making wide the lands of peoples, and then giving them up.

24 Turning aside the heart Of the heads of the people of the land, And He causes them to wander In vacancy—no way!

He takes away the wisdom of the rulers of the earth, and sends them wandering in a waste where there is no way.

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

They go feeling about in the dark without light, wandering without help like those overcome with wine.