Job 12
1 Respondens autem Iob, dixit:
Then Job answered and said:
2 Ergo vos estis soli homines, et vobiscum morietur sapientia?
No doubt ye are the whole people! And wisdom will die with you!
3 Et mihi est cor sicut et vobis, nec inferior vestri sum: quis enim haec, quae nostis, ignorat?
But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
4 Qui deridetur ab amico suo sicut ego, invocabit Deum, et exaudiet eum: deridetur enim iusti simplicitas.
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 Lampas contempta apud cogitationes divitum, parata ad tempus statutum.
To calamity belongeth contempt in the mind of one at ease; It is ready for them that slip with the feet.
6 Abundant tabernacula praedonum, et audacter provocant Deum, cum ipse dederit omnia in manus eorum.
The tents of robbers are in prosperity, And they who provoke God are secure, Who carry their God in their hand.
7 Nimirum interroga iumenta, et docebunt te: et volatilia caeli, et indicabunt tibi.
For ask now the beasts, and they will teach thee; Or the fowls of the air, and they will tell thee;
8 Loquere terrae, et respondebit tibi: et narrabunt pisces maris.
Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct thee; And the fishes of the sea will declare unto thee.
9 Quis ignorat quod omnia haec manus Domini fecerit?
Who among all these doth not know That the hand of Jehovah doeth these things?
10 In cuius manu anima omnis viventis, et spiritus universae carnis hominis.
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind.
11 Nonne auris verba diiudicat, et fauces comedentis, saporem?
Doth not the ear prove words, As the mouth tasteth meat?
12 In antiquis est sapientia, et in multo tempore prudentia.
With the aged is wisdom, And with length of days is understanding.
13 Apud ipsum est sapientia et fortitudo, ipse habet consilium et intelligentiam.
With Him are wisdom and strength; With Him counsel and understanding.
14 Si destruxerit, nemo est qui aedificet: si incluserit hominem, nullus est qui aperiat.
Lo! he pulleth down, and it shall not be rebuilt; He bindeth a man, and he shall not be set loose.
15 Si continuerit aquas, omnia siccabuntur: et si emiserit eas, subvertent terram.
Lo! he withholdeth the waters, and they are dried up; He sendeth them forth, and they lay waste the earth.
16 Apud ipsum est fortitudo et sapientia: ipse novit et decipientem, et eum qui decipitur.
With him are strength and wisdom; The deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 Adducit consiliarios in stultum finem, et iudices in stuporem.
He leadeth counsellors away captive, And judges he maketh fools.
18 Balteum regum dissolvit, et praecingit fune renes eorum.
He looseth the authority of kings, And bindeth their loins with a cord.
19 Ducit sacerdotes inglorios, et optimates supplantat:
He leadeth priests away captive, And overthroweth the mighty.
20 Commutans labium veracium, et doctrinam senum auferens.
He removeth speech from the trusty, And taketh away judgment from the elders.
21 Effundit despectionem super principes, eos, qui oppressi fuerant, relevans.
He poureth contempt upon princes, And looseth the girdle of the mighty.
22 Qui revelat profunda de tenebris, et producit in lucem umbram mortis.
He revealeth deep things out of darkness, And bringeth the shadow of death to light.
23 Qui multiplicat gentes et perdit eas, et subversas in integrum restituit.
He exalteth nations, and destroyeth them; He enlargeth nations, and leadeth them captive.
24 Qui immutat cor principum populi terrae, et decipit eos ut frustra incedant per invium:
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 Palpabunt quasi in tenebris, et non in luce, et errare eos faciet quasi ebrios.
They grope in the dark without light; He maketh them stagger like a drunken man.
