Job 12
1 Then Job answered and said,
Then Job answered:
2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
“Truly then you are the people with whom wisdom itself will die!
3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?
4 I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbour, [a man] that called upon God, and he answered him: the just, the perfect man is a laughing-stock.
I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.
5 In the thought of him that is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; it is ready for them whose foot slippeth.
The one at ease scorns misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
6 The tents of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth [abundantly].
The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure— those who carry their god in their hands.
7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:
But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you.
8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.
9 Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of LORD hath wrought this?
Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.
11 Doth not the ear try words, even as the palate tasteth its meat?
Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes its food?
12 With aged men is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.
Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.
13 With him is wisdom and might; he hath counsel and understanding.
Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.
14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.
15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; again, he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
If He holds back the waters, they dry up, and if He releases them, they overwhelm the land.
16 With him is strength and effectual working; the deceived and the deceiver are his.
True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His.
17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and judges maketh he fools.
He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.
18 He looseth the bond of kings, and bindeth their loins with a girdle.
He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists.
19 He leadeth priests away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established.
20 He removeth the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the elders.
He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.
21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and looseth the belt of the strong.
He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.
22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light.
23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he spreadeth the nations abroad, and bringeth them in.
He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them.
24 He taketh away the heart of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.
25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
They grope in the darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunkards.
