איוב 12

1 וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Job answered and said:

2 אׇמְנָם כִּי אַתֶּם־עָם וְעִמָּכֶם תָּמוּת חׇכְמָֽה׃

No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

3 גַּם־לִי לֵבָב ׀ כְּֽמוֹכֶם לֹא־נֹפֵל אָנֹכִי מִכֶּם וְאֶת־מִי־אֵין כְּמוֹ־אֵֽלֶּה׃

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

4 שְׂחֹק לְרֵעֵהוּ ׀ אֶהְיֶה קֹרֵא לֶאֱלוֹהַּ וַֽיַּעֲנֵהוּ שְׂחוֹק צַדִּיק תָּמִֽים׃

I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbour, a man that called upon God, and He answered him; the just, the innocent man is a laughing-stock,

5 לַפִּיד בּוּז לְעַשְׁתּוּת שַׁאֲנָן נָכוֹן לְמוֹעֲדֵי רָֽגֶל׃

A contemptible brand in the thought of him that is at ease, a thing ready for them whose foot slippeth.

6 יִשְׁלָיוּ אֹהָלִים ׀ לְשֹׁדְדִים וּֽבַטֻּחוֹת לְמַרְגִּיזֵי אֵל לַאֲשֶׁר הֵבִיא אֱלוֹהַּ בְּיָדֽוֹ׃

The tents of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure, in whatsoever God bringeth into their hand.

7 וְֽאוּלָם שְׁאַל־נָא בְהֵמוֹת וְתֹרֶךָּ וְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וְיַגֶּד־לָֽךְ׃

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee;

8 אוֹ שִׂיחַ לָאָרֶץ וְתֹרֶךָּ וִיסַפְּרוּ לְךָ דְּגֵי הַיָּֽם׃

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee;

9 מִי לֹא־יָדַע בְּכׇל־אֵלֶּה כִּי יַד־יְהֹוָה עָשְׂתָה זֹּֽאת׃

Who knoweth not among all these, that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

10 אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ נֶפֶשׁ כׇּל־חָי וְרוּחַ כׇּל־בְּשַׂר־אִֽישׁ׃

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. —

11 הֲלֹא־אֹזֶן מִלִּין תִּבְחָן וְחֵךְ אֹכֶל יִטְעַם־לֽוֹ׃

Doth not the ear try words, even as the palate tasteth its food?

12 בִּישִׁישִׁים חׇכְמָה וְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים תְּבוּנָֽה׃

Is wisdom with aged men, and understanding in length of days? —

13 עִמּוֹ חׇכְמָה וּגְבוּרָה לוֹ עֵצָה וּתְבוּנָֽה׃

With Him is wisdom and might; He hath counsel and understanding.

14 הֵן יַהֲרוֹס וְלֹא יִבָּנֶה יִסְגֹּר עַל־אִישׁ וְלֹא יִפָּתֵֽחַ׃

Behold, He breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

15 הֵן יַעְצֹר בַּמַּיִם וְיִבָשׁוּ וִישַׁלְּחֵם וְיַהַפְכוּ אָֽרֶץ׃

Behold, He withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; also He sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

16 עִמּוֹ עֹז וְתוּשִׁיָּה לוֹ שֹׁגֵג וּמַשְׁגֶּֽה׃

With Him is strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His.

17 מוֹלִיךְ יוֹעֲצִים שׁוֹלָל וְֽשֹׁפְטִים יְהוֹלֵֽל׃

He leadeth counsellors away stripped, and judges maketh He fools.

18 מוּסַר מְלָכִים פִּתֵּחַ וַיֶּאְסֹר אֵזוֹר בְּמׇתְנֵיהֶֽם׃

He looseth the bond of kings, and bindeth their loins with a girdle.

19 מוֹלִיךְ כֹּהֲנִים שׁוֹלָל וְאֵתָנִים יְסַלֵּֽף׃

He leadeth priests away stripped, and overthroweth the mighty.

20 מֵסִיר שָׂפָה לְנֶאֱמָנִים וְטַעַם זְקֵנִים יִקָּֽח׃

He removeth the speech of men of trust, and taketh away the sense of the elders.

21 שׁוֹפֵךְ בּוּז עַל־נְדִיבִים וּמְזִיחַ אֲפִיקִים רִפָּֽה׃

He poureth contempt upon princes, and looseth the belt of the strong.

22 מְגַלֶּה עֲמֻקוֹת מִנִּי־חֹשֶׁךְ וַיֹּצֵא לָאוֹר צַלְמָֽוֶת׃

He uncovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

23 מַשְׂגִּיא לַגּוֹיִם וַֽיְאַבְּדֵם שֹׁטֵחַ לַגּוֹיִם וַיַּנְחֵֽם׃

He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; He enlargeth the nations, and leadeth them away.

24 מֵסִיר לֵב רָאשֵׁי עַם־הָאָרֶץ וַיַּתְעֵם בְּתֹהוּ לֹא־דָֽרֶךְ׃

He taketh away the heart of the chiefs of the people of the land, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

25 יְמַֽשְׁשׁוּ־חֹשֶׁךְ וְלֹא־אוֹר וַיַּתְעֵם כַּשִּׁכּֽוֹר׃

They grope in the dark without light, and He maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.