Job 12
1 respondens autem Iob dixit
Then Job answered:
2 ergo vos estis soli homines et vobiscum morietur sapientia
“Truly then you are the people with whom wisdom itself will die!
3 et mihi est cor sicut et vobis nec inferior vestri sum quis enim haec quae nostis ignorat
But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?
4 qui deridetur ab amico suo sicut ego invocabit Deum et exaudiet eum deridetur enim iusti simplicitas
I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.
5 lampas contempta apud cogitationes divitum parata ad tempus statutum
The one at ease scorns misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
6 abundant tabernacula praedonum et audacter provocant Deum cum ipse dederit omnia in manibus eorum
The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure— those who carry their god in their hands.
7 nimirum interroga iumenta et docebunt te et volatilia caeli et indicabunt tibi
But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you.
8 loquere terrae et respondebit tibi et narrabunt pisces maris
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.
9 quis ignorat quod omnia haec manus Domini fecerit
Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?
10 in cuius manu anima omnis viventis et spiritus universae carnis hominis
The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.
11 nonne auris verba diiudicat et fauces comedentis saporem
Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes its food?
12 in antiquis est sapientia et in multo tempore prudentia
Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.
13 apud ipsum est sapientia et fortitudo ipse habet consilium et intellegentiam
Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.
14 si destruxerit nemo est qui aedificet et si incluserit hominem nullus est qui aperiat
What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.
15 si continuerit aquas omnia siccabuntur et si emiserit eas subvertent terram
If He holds back the waters, they dry up, and if He releases them, they overwhelm the land.
16 apud ipsum est fortitudo et sapientia ipse novit et decipientem et eum qui decipitur
True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His.
17 adducit consiliarios in stultum finem et iudices in stuporem
He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.
18 balteum regum dissolvit et praecingit fune renes eorum
He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists.
19 ducit sacerdotes inglorios et optimates subplantat
He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established.
20 commutans labium veracium et doctrinam senum auferens
He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.
21 effundit despectionem super principes et eos qui oppressi fuerant relevans
He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.
22 qui revelat profunda de tenebris et producit in lucem umbram mortis
He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light.
23 qui multiplicat gentes et perdet eas et subversas in integrum restituet
He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them.
24 qui inmutat cor principum populi terrae et decipit eos ut frustra incedant per invium
He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.
25 palpabunt quasi in tenebris et non in luce et errare eos faciet quasi ebrios
They grope in the darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunkards.
