Job 12
1 Then Job answered and said,
Then answered Job, and said,
2 “No doubt you are the people; wisdom will die with you.
Truly ye are indeed the [right kind of] people, and with you wisdom must die out.
3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Indeed, who does not know such things as these?
I also have sense like you; I do not fall short compared with you: and who possesseth not such things as these?
4 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.
I am as one laughed at by his friend, who calleth upon God, while he answered him: [yea, ] a laughing-stock though righteous and innocent.
5 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.
To the unfortunate there is given contempt— according to the thoughts of him that is at ease— prepared [also] for those whose foot slippeth.
6 The tents of robbers prosper, and those who provoke God feel secure; their own hands are their gods.
Prosperous are the tents of robbers, and security is given to those that provoke God. to him who carrieth his god in his hand.
7 But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; ask the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you.
Yet, do only ask of the beasts, and they will instruct thee; and the fowls of the heavens, and they will tell it thee;
8 Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; the fish of the sea will declare to you.
Or speak to the earth, and she will instruct thee; and the fishes of the sea will inform thee
9 Which animal among all these does not know that the hand of Yahweh has done this?
Who knoweth not through all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?
10 In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.
[He] in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all the bodies of men?
11 Does not the ear test words just as the palate tastes its food?
Doth not the ear try words, as the palate tasteth food for itself?
12 With aged men is wisdom; in length of days is understanding.
So It with the ancients wisdom, and with [those of] length of days understanding,
13 With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding.
That with him are wisdom and strength, his are counsel and understanding.
14 See, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again; if he imprisons someone, there can be no release.
Behold, he pulleth down, and there can be no rebuilding: he locketh [the prison] upon a man, and there can be no opening,
15 See, if he withholds the waters, they dry up; and if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.
Behold, he restraineth the waters, and they dry up; or he suffereth them to flow, and they overturn the earth.
16 With him are strength and wisdom; people who are deceived and the deceiver are both in his power.
With him are strength and counsel: his are the deceived and the deceiver.
17 He leads counselors away barefoot in sorrow; he turns judges into fools.
He leadeth counsellors away bereft of sense, and maketh the judges fools.
18 He takes off the chain of authority from kings; he wraps a cloth about their waists.
He looseth the bond of kings, and bindeth a girdle around their loins.
19 He leads priests away barefoot in sorrow and overthrows mighty people.
He leadeth priests away bereft of sense, and the powerful he causeth to walk on crooked paths.
20 He removes the speech of those who had been trusted and takes away the understanding of the elders.
He removeth the speech from trusty speakers, and taketh away the intelligence of the aged.
21 He pours contempt upon princes and unfastens the belt of strong people.
He poureth contempt upon princes, and the belt of the mighty be looseneth.
22 He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light.
He layeth open deep things from the midst of darkness, and bringeth out unto light the shadow of death.
23 He makes nations strong, and he also destroys them; He enlarges nations, and he also leads them along as prisoners.
He permitteth the nations to become great, and destroyeth them: he spreadeth out the nations, and leadeth them away.
24 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.
He taketh away the sense of the chiefs of the people of the land, and causeth them to wander astray in a wilderness when there is no way.
25 They grope in the dark without light; he makes them stagger like a drunk man.
They grope in the dark without light, and he causeth them to wander astray like a drunken man.
