Job 12
1 Sotheli Joob answeride, and seide,
And Job answered and said,
2 Therfor ben ye men aloone, that wisdom dwelle with you?
No doubt but all of you are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
3 And to me is an herte, as and to you, and Y am not lowere than ye; for who knowith not these thingis, whiche ye knowen?
But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knows not such things as these?
4 He that is scorned of his frend, as Y am, schal inwardli clepe God, and God schal here hym; for the symplenesse of a iust man is scorned.
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 A laumpe is dispisid at the thouytis of riche men, and the laumpe is maad redi to a tyme ordeyned.
He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
6 The tabernaclis of robberis ben plenteuouse, `ether ful of goodis; and boldli thei terren God to wraththe, whanne he hath youe alle thingis in to her hondis.
The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God brings abundantly.
7 No wondur, ax thou beestis, and tho schulen teche thee; and axe thou volatilis of the eir, and tho schulen schewe to thee.
But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach you; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell you:
8 Speke thou to the erthe, and it schal answere thee; and the fischis of the see schulen telle tho thingis.
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto you.
9 Who knowith not that the hond of the Lord made alle these thingis?
Who knows not in all these that the hand of the LORD has wrought this?
10 In whos hond the soule is of ech lyuynge thing, and the spirit, `that is, resonable soule, of ech fleisch of man.
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
11 Whether the eere demeth not wordis, and the chekis of the etere demen sauour?
Does not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his food?
12 Wisdom is in elde men, and prudence is in myche tyme.
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
13 Wisdom and strengthe is at God; he hath counsel and vndurstondyng.
With him is wisdom and strength, he has counsel and understanding.
14 If he distrieth, no man is that bildith; if he schittith in a man, `noon is that openith.
Behold, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again: he shuts up a man, and there can be no opening.
15 If he holdith togidere watris, alle thingis schulen be maad drie; if he sendith out tho watris, tho schulen distrie the erthe.
Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up: also he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.
16 Strengthe and wisdom is at God; he knowith bothe hym that disseyueth and hym that is disseyued.
With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 And he bryngith conselours in to a fonned eende, and iugis in to wondryng, ethir astonying.
He leads counsellors away spoiled, and makes the judges fools.
18 He vnbindith the girdil of kyngis, and girdith her reynes with a coorde.
He looses the bond of kings, and girds their loins with a girdle.
19 He ledith her prestis with out glorie, and he disseyueth the principal men, `ethir counselours;
He leads princes away spoiled, and overthrows the mighty.
20 and he chaungith the lippis of sothefast men, and takith awei the doctrine of elde men.
He removes away the speech of the trusty, and takes away the understanding of the aged.
21 He schedith out dispisyng on princes, and releeueth hem, that weren oppressid.
He pours contempt upon princes, and weakens the strength of the mighty.
22 Which schewith depe thingis fro derknessis; and bryngith forth in to liyt the schadewe of deeth.
He discovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.
23 Which multiplieth folkis, and leesith hem, and restorith hem destried in to the hool.
He increases the nations, and destroys them: he enlarges the nations, and straitens them again.
24 Which chaungith the herte of princes of the puple of erthe; and disseyueth hem, that thei go in veyn out of the weie.
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 Thei schulen grope, as in derknessis, and not in liyt; and he schal make hem to erre as drunken men.
They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them to stagger like a drunken man.
