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.
So then you [alone] are men, 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 also have a heart as well as you.
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!
For a righteous and blameless man has become a subject for mockery.
5 For ruin, there is contempt, in the thought of the man at ease, —ready, for such as are of faltering foot!
For it had been ordained that he should fall under others at the appointed time, and that his houses should be spoiled by transgressors: let not however any one trust that, being evil, he shall be [held] guiltless,
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.
even as many as provoke the Lord, as if there were indeed to be no inquisition [made] of them.
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, if they may speak to you; and the birds of the air, if they may declare to you.
8 Or address the earth, and it will teach thee, and the fishes of the sea, will recount it to thee:
Tell the earth, if it may speak to you: and the fishes of the sea shall explain to you.
9 Who knoweth not, among all these, that, the hand of Yahweh, hath done this?
Who then has not known in all these things, that the hand of the Lord has made them?
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all the flesh of men.
Whereas the life of all living things is in his hand, and the breath of every man.
11 Doth not, the ear, try, words? even as, the palate, tasteth for itself, food?
For the ear tries words, and the palate tastes meats.
12 In the Ancient, is wisdom, and [in] Length of Days, understanding:
In length of time is wisdom, and in long life knowledge.
13 With Him, are wisdom and strength, to Him, pertain counsel and understanding.
With him are wisdom and power, with him counsel and understanding.
14 Lo! He pulleth down, and it cannot be built, He closeth up over a man, and it cannot be opened:
If he should cast down, who will build up? if he should shut up against man, who shall open?
15 Lo! He holdeth back the waters, and they dry up, or sendeth them out, and they transform the earth:
If he should withhold the water, he will dry the earth: and if he should let it loose, he overthrows and destroys it.
16 With Him, is strength and effective wisdom, to Him, belong he that erreth, and he that causeth to err.
With him are strength and power: he has knowledge and understanding.
17 Who leadeth away counsellors [as] a spoil, and, judges, He befooleth:
He leads counselors away captive, and maddens the judges of the earth.
18 The fetters of kings, He looseth, or hath bound a slave’s waistcloth about their loins:
He seats kings upon thrones, and girds their loins with a girdle.
19 Who leadeth away priests [as] a spoil, and, men firmly seated, He overturneth:
He sends away priests into captivity, and overthrows the mighty ones of the earth.
20 Setting aside the speech of the trusty, and, the discernment of elders, He taketh away:
He changes the lips of the trusty, and he knows the understanding of the elders.
21 Pouring contempt upon nobles, and, the girdle of the mighty, hath He loosed:
He pours dishonor upon princes, and heals the lowly.
22 Laying open deep things, out of darkness, and bringing out to light, the death-shade:
Revealing deep things out of darkness: and he has brought into light the shadow of death.
23 Who giveth greatness to nations, or destroyeth them, Who spreadeth out nations, or leadeth them into exile:
Causing the nations to wander, and destroying them: overthrowing the nations, and leading them [away].
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:
Perplexing the minds of the princes of the earth: and he causes them to wander in a way, they have not known, [saying],
25 They grope about in the dark, having no light, and He hath made them to reel, like a drunken man.
Let them grope [in] darkness, and [let there be] no light, and let them wander as a drunken man.
