Job 12
1 respondens autem Iob dixit
Then Job answered and said,
2 ergo vos estis soli homines et vobiscum morietur sapientia
No doubt but ye are the people, And wisdom shall 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 as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbor, I who called upon God, and he answered: The just, the perfect man is a laughing-stock.
5 lampas contempta apud cogitationes divitum parata ad tempus statutum
In the thought of him that is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; It is ready for them whose foot slippeth.
6 abundant tabernacula praedonum et audacter provocant Deum cum ipse dederit omnia in manibus eorum
The tents of robbers prosper, And they that provoke God are secure; Into whose hand God bringeth [abundantly].
7 nimirum interroga iumenta et docebunt te et volatilia caeli et indicabunt tibi
But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; And the birds of the heavens, and they shall tell thee:
8 loquere terrae et respondebit tibi et narrabunt pisces maris
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; And the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
9 quis ignorat quod omnia haec manus Domini fecerit
Who knoweth not in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this,
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 try words, Even as the palate tasteth its food?
12 in antiquis est sapientia et in multo tempore prudentia
With aged men is wisdom, And in length of days understanding.
13 apud ipsum est sapientia et fortitudo ipse habet consilium et intellegentiam
With [God] is wisdom and might; He hath counsel and understanding.
14 si destruxerit nemo est qui aedificet et si incluserit hominem nullus est qui aperiat
Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
15 si continuerit aquas omnia siccabuntur et si emiserit eas subvertent terram
Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; Again, he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
16 apud ipsum est fortitudo et sapientia ipse novit et decipientem et eum qui decipitur
With him is strength and wisdom; The deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 adducit consiliarios in stultum finem et iudices in stuporem
He leadeth counsellors away stripped, And judges maketh he fools.
18 balteum regum dissolvit et praecingit fune renes eorum
He looseth the bond of kings, And he bindeth their loins with a girdle.
19 ducit sacerdotes inglorios et optimates subplantat
He leadeth priests away stripped, And overthroweth the mighty.
20 commutans labium veracium et doctrinam senum auferens
He removeth the speech of the trusty, And taketh away the understanding of the elders.
21 effundit despectionem super principes et eos qui oppressi fuerant relevans
He poureth contempt upon princes, And looseth the belt of the strong.
22 qui revelat profunda de tenebris et producit in lucem umbram mortis
He uncovereth deep things out of darkness, And bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
23 qui multiplicat gentes et perdet eas et subversas in integrum restituet
He increaseth the nations, and he destroyeth them: He enlargeth the nations, and he leadeth them captive.
24 qui inmutat cor principum populi terrae et decipit eos ut frustra incedant per invium
He taketh away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, And causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
25 palpabunt quasi in tenebris et non in luce et errare eos faciet quasi ebrios
They grope in the dark without light; And he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
