איוב 12

1 וַיַּעַן אִיּוֹב וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

Then Job answered,

2 אׇמְנָם כִּי אַתֶּם־עָם וְעִמָּכֶם תָּמוּת חׇכְמָֽה׃

"No doubt, but you 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. Yes, who doesn't know such things as these?

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

I am like one who is a joke to his neighbor, I, who called on God, and he answered. The just, the blameless man is a joke.

5 לַפִּיד בּוּז לְעַשְׁתּוּת שַׁאֲנָן נָכוֹן לְמוֹעֲדֵי רָֽגֶל׃

In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.

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

The tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their god in their hands.

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

"But ask the animals, now, and they shall teach you; the birds of the sky, and they shall tell you.

8 אוֹ שִׂיחַ לָאָרֶץ וְתֹרֶךָּ וִיסַפְּרוּ לְךָ דְּגֵי הַיָּֽם׃

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you. The fish of the sea shall declare to you.

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

Who doesn't know that in all these, the hand of the LORD has done this,

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

in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all humankind?

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

Doesn't the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?

12 בִּישִׁישִׁים חׇכְמָה וְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים תְּבוּנָֽה׃

With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding.

13 עִמּוֹ חׇכְמָה וּגְבוּרָה לוֹ עֵצָה וּתְבוּנָֽה׃

"With him is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.

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

Look, he breaks down, and it can't be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

15 הֵן יַעְצֹר בַּמַּיִם וְיִבָשׁוּ וִישַׁלְּחֵם וְיַהַפְכוּ אָֽרֶץ׃

Look, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.

16 עִמּוֹ עֹז וְתוּשִׁיָּה לוֹ שֹׁגֵג וּמַשְׁגֶּֽה׃

With him is strength and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are his.

17 מוֹלִיךְ יוֹעֲצִים שׁוֹלָל וְֽשֹׁפְטִים יְהוֹלֵֽל׃

He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.

18 מוּסַר מְלָכִים פִּתֵּחַ וַיֶּאְסֹר אֵזוֹר בְּמׇתְנֵיהֶֽם׃

He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.

19 מוֹלִיךְ כֹּהֲנִים שׁוֹלָל וְאֵתָנִים יְסַלֵּֽף׃

He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.

20 מֵסִיר שָׂפָה לְנֶאֱמָנִים וְטַעַם זְקֵנִים יִקָּֽח׃

He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.

21 שׁוֹפֵךְ בּוּז עַל־נְדִיבִים וּמְזִיחַ אֲפִיקִים רִפָּֽה׃

He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.

22 מְגַלֶּה עֲמֻקוֹת מִנִּי־חֹשֶׁךְ וַיֹּצֵא לָאוֹר צַלְמָֽוֶת׃

He uncovers deep things out of darkness, and brings out to light the shadow of death.

23 מַשְׂגִּיא לַגּוֹיִם וַֽיְאַבְּדֵם שֹׁטֵחַ לַגּוֹיִם וַיַּנְחֵֽם׃

He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.

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

He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes 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. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.