Job 12
1 Then responded Job, and said: —
And Job answered and said,
2 Of a truth, ye, are the people, and, with you, wisdom, will die.
No doubt but all of you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
3 I also, have a mind like you, I, fall not short, of you, But who hath not such things as these?
But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knows not such things as these?
4 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!
I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calls upon God, and he answers him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
5 For ruin, there is contempt, in the thought of the man at ease, —ready, for such as are of faltering foot!
He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
6 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.
The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God brings abundantly.
7 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;
But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach you; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell you:
8 Or address the earth, and it will teach thee, and the fishes of the sea, will recount it to thee:
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto you.
9 Who knoweth not, among all these, that, the hand of Yahweh, hath done this?
Who knows not in all these that the hand of the LORD has wrought this?
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all the flesh of men.
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
11 Doth not, the ear, try, words? even as, the palate, tasteth for itself, food?
Does not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his food?
12 In the Ancient, is wisdom, and [in] Length of Days, understanding:
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
13 With Him, are wisdom and strength, to Him, pertain counsel and understanding.
With him is wisdom and strength, he has counsel and understanding.
14 Lo! He pulleth down, and it cannot be built, He closeth up over a man, and it cannot be opened:
Behold, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again: he shuts up a man, and there can be no opening.
15 Lo! He holdeth back the waters, and they dry up, or sendeth them out, and they transform the earth:
Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up: also he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.
16 With Him, is strength and effective wisdom, to Him, belong he that erreth, and he that causeth to err.
With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 Who leadeth away counsellors [as] a spoil, and, judges, He befooleth:
He leads counsellors away spoiled, and makes the judges fools.
18 The fetters of kings, He looseth, or hath bound a slave’s waistcloth about their loins:
He looses the bond of kings, and girds their loins with a girdle.
19 Who leadeth away priests [as] a spoil, and, men firmly seated, He overturneth:
He leads princes away spoiled, and overthrows the mighty.
20 Setting aside the speech of the trusty, and, the discernment of elders, He taketh away:
He removes away the speech of the trusty, and takes away the understanding of the aged.
21 Pouring contempt upon nobles, and, the girdle of the mighty, hath He loosed:
He pours contempt upon princes, and weakens the strength of the mighty.
22 Laying open deep things, out of darkness, and bringing out to light, the death-shade:
He discovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.
23 Who giveth greatness to nations, or destroyeth them, Who spreadeth out nations, or leadeth them into exile:
He increases the nations, and destroys them: he enlarges the nations, and straitens them again.
24 Who taketh away the sense of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and hath caused them to wander in a pathless waste:
He takes away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
25 They grope about in the dark, having no light, and He hath made them to reel, like a drunken man.
They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them to stagger like a drunken man.
