Job 12
1 And Job answers and says:
Then Job answered and said,
2 “Truly—you [are] the people, and wisdom dies with you.
“No doubt you are the people; wisdom will die 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 understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Indeed, who does not know 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.
I am something for my neighbor to laugh at— I, one who called on God and who was answered by him! I, a just and blameless man—I am now something to laugh at.
5 A torch—despised in the thoughts of the secure Is prepared for those sliding with the feet.
In the thought of someone who is at ease, there is contempt for misfortune; he thinks in a way that brings more misfortune to those whose foot is slipping.
6 The tents of spoilers are at peace, And those provoking God have confidence, Into whose hand God has brought.
The tents of robbers prosper, and those who provoke God feel secure; their own hands are their gods.
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 now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; ask the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you.
8 Or talk to the earth, and it shows you, And fishes of the sea recount to you:
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; the fish of the sea will declare to you.
9 Who has not known in all these, That the hand of YHWH has done this?
Which animal among all these does not know that the hand of Yahweh has done this?
10 In whose hand [is] the breath of every living thing, And the spirit of all flesh of man.
In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.
11 Does the ear not try words? And the palate taste food for itself?
Does not the ear test words just as the palate tastes its food?
12 With the very aged [is] wisdom, And [with] length of days [is] understanding.
With aged men is wisdom; in length of days is understanding.
13 With Him [are] wisdom and might, To Him [are] counsel and understanding.
With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding.
14 Behold, He breaks down, and it is not built up, He shuts against a man, And it is not opened.
See, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again; if he imprisons someone, there can be no release.
15 Behold, He keeps in the waters, and they are dried up, And He sends them forth, And they overturn the land.
See, if he withholds the waters, they dry up; and if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.
16 With Him [are] strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.
With him are strength and wisdom; people who are deceived and the deceiver are both in his power.
17 Causing counselors to go away [as] a spoil, Indeed, He makes fools of judges.
He leads counselors away barefoot in sorrow; he turns judges into fools.
18 He has opened the bands of kings, And He binds a girdle on their loins.
He takes off the chain of authority from kings; he wraps a cloth about their waists.
19 Causing ministers to go away [as] a spoil And strong ones He overthrows.
He leads priests away barefoot in sorrow and overthrows mighty people.
20 Turning aside the lip of the steadfast, And the reason of the aged He takes away.
He removes the speech of those who had been trusted and takes away the understanding of the elders.
21 Pouring contempt on princes, And the girdle of the mighty He made feeble.
He pours contempt upon princes and unfastens the belt of strong people.
22 Removing deep things out of darkness, And He brings out to light death-shade.
He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light.
23 Magnifying the nations, and He destroys them, Spreading out the nations, and He quiets them.
He makes nations strong, and he also destroys them; He enlarges nations, and he also leads them along as prisoners.
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 understanding from the leaders of the people of the earth; he causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no path.
25 They feel darkness, and not light, He causes them to wander as a drunkard.”
They grope in the dark without light; he makes them stagger like a drunk man.
