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 manibus 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 intellegentiam
With Him are wisdom and strength; With Him counsel and understanding.
14 si destruxerit nemo est qui aedificet et 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 subplantat
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 et 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 perdet eas et subversas in integrum restituet
He exalteth nations, and destroyeth them; He enlargeth nations, and leadeth them captive.
24 qui inmutat 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.
