Job 12
1 And Job answered and said,
And Job made answer and said,
2 No doubt but ye [are] the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
No doubt you have knowledge, and wisdom will come to an end with you.
3 But I have understanding as well as you; I [am] not inferior to you: yes, who knoweth not such things as these?
But I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of such things as these?
4 I am [as] one mocked by his neighbor, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright [man is] derided.
It seems that I am to be as one who is a cause of laughing to his neighbour, one who makes his prayer to God and is answered! the upright man who has done no wrong is to be made sport of!
5 He that is ready to slip with [his] feet [is as] a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
In the thought of him who is in comfort there is no respect for one who is in trouble; such is the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth [abundantly].
There is wealth in the tents of those who make destruction, and those by whom God is moved to wrath are safe; even those whose god is their strength.
7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:
But put now a question to the beasts, and get teaching from them; or to the birds of the heaven, and they will make it clear to you;
8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare to thee.
Or to the things which go flat on the earth, and they will give you wisdom; and the fishes of the sea will give you news of it.
9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
Who does not see by all these 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.
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man.
11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste its food?
Are not words tested by the ear, even as food is tasted by the mouth?
12 With the ancient [is] wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge.
13 With him [is] wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge are his.
14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
Truly, there is no building up of what is pulled down by him; when a man is shut up by him, no one may let him loose.
15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
Truly, he keeps back the waters and they are dry; he sends them out and the earth is overturned.
16 With him [is] strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver [are] his.
With him are strength and wise designs; he who is guided into error, together with his guide, are in his hands;
17 He leadeth counselors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;
18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
He undoes the chains of kings, and puts his band on them;
19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
He makes priests prisoners, overturning those in safe positions;
20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;
21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong;
22 He revealeth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth to light the shades of death.
Uncovering deep things out of the dark, and making the deep shade bright;
23 He increaseth nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth nations, and straiteneth them [again].
Increasing nations, and sending destruction on them; making wide the lands of peoples, and then giving them up.
24 He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness [where there is] no way.
He takes away the wisdom of the rulers of the earth, and sends them wandering in a waste where there is no way.
25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like [a] drunken [man].
They go feeling about in the dark without light, wandering without help like those overcome with wine.
