Job 12
1 And Job answereth and saith: —
Then Job answered and said:
2 Truly — ye [are] the people, And with you doth wisdom die.
No doubt ye are the whole people! And wisdom will die with you!
3 I also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like these?
But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
4 A laughter to his friend I am: 'He calleth to God, and He answereth him,' A laughter [is] the perfect righteous one.
I am become a laughing-stock to my friend, —I who call upon God, that he would answer me! The innocent and upright man is held in derision.
5 A torch — despised in the thoughts of the secure Is prepared for those sliding with the feet.
To calamity belongeth contempt in the mind of one at ease; It is ready for them that slip with the feet.
6 At peace are the tents of spoilers, And those provoking God have confidence, He into whose hand God hath brought.
The tents of robbers are in prosperity, And they who provoke God are secure, Who carry their God in their hand.
7 And yet, ask, I pray thee, [One of] the beasts, and it doth shew thee, And a fowl of the heavens, And it doth declare to thee.
For ask now the beasts, and they will teach thee; Or the fowls of the air, and they will tell thee;
8 Or talk to the earth, and it sheweth thee, And fishes of the sea recount to thee:
Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct thee; And the fishes of the sea will declare unto thee.
9 'Who hath not known in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath done this?
Who among all these doth not know That the hand of Jehovah doeth these things?
10 In whose hand [is] the breath of every living thing, And the spirit of all flesh of man.'
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind.
11 Doth not the ear try words? And the palate taste food for itself?
Doth not the ear prove words, As the mouth tasteth meat?
12 With the very aged [is] wisdom, And [with] length of days understanding.
With the aged is wisdom, And with length of days is understanding.
13 With Him [are] wisdom and might, To him [are] counsel and understanding.
With Him are wisdom and strength; With Him counsel and understanding.
14 Lo, He breaketh down, and it is not built up, He shutteth against a man, And it is not opened.
Lo! he pulleth down, and it shall not be rebuilt; He bindeth a man, and he shall not be set loose.
15 Lo, He keepeth in the waters, and they are dried up, And he sendeth them forth, And they overturn the land.
Lo! he withholdeth the waters, and they are dried up; He sendeth them forth, and they lay waste the earth.
16 With Him [are] strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.
With him are strength and wisdom; The deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 Causing counsellors to go away a spoil, And judges He maketh foolish.
He leadeth counsellors away captive, And judges he maketh fools.
18 The bands of kings He hath opened, And He bindeth a girdle on their loins.
He looseth the authority of kings, And bindeth their loins with a cord.
19 Causing ministers to go away a spoil And strong ones He overthroweth.
He leadeth priests away captive, And overthroweth the mighty.
20 Turning aside the lip of the stedfast, And the reason of the aged He taketh away.
He removeth speech from the trusty, And taketh away judgment from the elders.
21 Pouring contempt upon princes, And the girdle of the mighty He made feeble.
He poureth contempt upon princes, And looseth the girdle of the mighty.
22 Removing deep things out of darkness, And He bringeth out to light death-shade.
He revealeth deep things out of darkness, And bringeth the shadow of death to light.
23 Magnifying the nations, and He destroyeth them, Spreading out the nations, and He quieteth them.
He exalteth nations, and destroyeth them; He enlargeth nations, and leadeth them captive.
24 Turning aside the heart Of the heads of the people of the land, And he causeth them to wander In vacancy — no way!
He taketh away the understanding of the great men of the land, And causeth them to wander in a wilderness, where is no path;
25 They feel darkness, and not light, He causeth them to wander as a drunkard.
They grope in the dark without light; He maketh them stagger like a drunken man.
