Job 12

1 Sotheli Joob answeride, and seide,

2 Therfor ben ye men aloone, that wisdom dwelle 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?

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.

5 A laumpe is dispisid at the thouytis of riche men, and the laumpe is maad redi to a tyme ordeyned.

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.

7 No wondur, ax thou beestis, and tho schulen teche thee; and axe thou volatilis of the eir, and tho schulen schewe to thee.

8 Speke thou to the erthe, and it schal answere thee; and the fischis of the see schulen telle tho thingis.

9 Who knowith not that the hond of the Lord made alle these thingis?

10 In whos hond the soule is of ech lyuynge thing, and the spirit, `that is, resonable soule, of ech fleisch of man.

11 Whether the eere demeth not wordis, and the chekis of the etere demen sauour?

12 Wisdom is in elde men, and prudence is in myche tyme.

13 Wisdom and strengthe is at God; he hath counsel and vndurstondyng.

14 If he distrieth, no man is that bildith; if he schittith in a man, `noon is that openith.

15 If he holdith togidere watris, alle thingis schulen be maad drie; if he sendith out tho watris, tho schulen distrie the erthe.

16 Strengthe and wisdom is at God; he knowith bothe hym that disseyueth and hym that is disseyued.

17 And he bryngith conselours in to a fonned eende, and iugis in to wondryng, ethir astonying.

18 He vnbindith the girdil of kyngis, and girdith her reynes with a coorde.

19 He ledith her prestis with out glorie, and he disseyueth the principal men, `ethir counselours;

20 and he chaungith the lippis of sothefast men, and takith awei the doctrine of elde men.

21 He schedith out dispisyng on princes, and releeueth hem, that weren oppressid.

22 Which schewith depe thingis fro derknessis; and bryngith forth in to liyt the schadewe of deeth.

23 Which multiplieth folkis, and leesith hem, and restorith hem destried in to the hool.

24 Which chaungith the herte of princes of the puple of erthe; and disseyueth hem, that thei go in veyn out of the weie.

25 Thei schulen grope, as in derknessis, and not in liyt; and he schal make hem to erre as drunken men.