Job 12

1 Then Job answered and said,

Sotheli Joob answeride, and seide,

2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

Therfor ben ye men aloone, that wisdom dwelle with you?

3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Yes, who does not know such things as these?

And to me is an herte, as and to you, and Y am not lowere than ye; for who knowith not these thingis, whiche ye knowen?

4 I am as a man who is a laughing-stock to his neighbor. I who called upon God, and he answered. The just, the perfect man is a laughing-stock.

He that is scorned of his frend, as Y am, schal inwardli clepe God, and God schal here hym; for the symplenesse of a iust man is scorned.

5 In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for calamity. It is ready for those whose foot slips.

A laumpe is dispisid at the thouytis of riche men, and the laumpe is maad redi to a tyme ordeyned.

6 The tents of robbers prosper, and those who provoke God are secure. Into whose hand God brings abundantly.

The tabernaclis of robberis ben plenteuouse, `ether ful of goodis; and boldli thei terren God to wraththe, whanne he hath youe alle thingis in to her hondis.

7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee, and the birds of the heavens, and they shall tell thee.

No wondur, ax thou beestis, and tho schulen teche thee; and axe thou volatilis of the eir, and tho schulen schewe to thee.

8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee, and the fishes of the sea shall declare to thee.

Speke thou to the erthe, and it schal answere thee; and the fischis of the see schulen telle tho thingis.

9 Who does not know in all these, that the hand of Jehovah has wrought this,

Who knowith not that the hond of the Lord made alle these thingis?

10 in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?

In whos hond the soule is of ech lyuynge thing, and the spirit, `that is, resonable soule, of ech fleisch of man.

11 Does not the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?

Whether the eere demeth not wordis, and the chekis of the etere demen sauour?

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

Wisdom is in elde men, and prudence is in myche tyme.

13 With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.

Wisdom and strengthe is at God; he hath counsel and vndurstondyng.

14 Behold, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again. He shuts up a man, and there can be no opening.

If he distrieth, no man is that bildith; if he schittith in a man, `noon is that openith.

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

If he holdith togidere watris, alle thingis schulen be maad drie; if he sendith out tho watris, tho schulen distrie the erthe.

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

Strengthe and wisdom is at God; he knowith bothe hym that disseyueth and hym that is disseyued.

17 He leads counselors away stripped, and he makes judges fools.

And he bryngith conselours in to a fonned eende, and iugis in to wondryng, ethir astonying.

18 He loosens the bond of kings, and he binds their loins with a belt.

He vnbindith the girdil of kyngis, and girdith her reynes with a coorde.

19 He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.

He ledith her prestis with out glorie, and he disseyueth the principal men, `ethir counselours;

20 He removes the speech of the trustworthy, and takes away the understanding of the elders.

and he chaungith the lippis of sothefast men, and takith awei the doctrine of elde men.

21 He pours contempt upon rulers, and weakens the strength of the strong.

He schedith out dispisyng on princes, and releeueth hem, that weren oppressid.

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

Which schewith depe thingis fro derknessis; and bryngith forth in to liyt the schadewe of deeth.

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

Which multiplieth folkis, and leesith hem, and restorith hem destried in to the hool.

24 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.

Which chaungith the herte of princes of the puple of erthe; and disseyueth hem, that thei go in veyn out of the weie.

25 They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them to stagger like a drunken man.

Thei schulen grope, as in derknessis, and not in liyt; and he schal make hem to erre as drunken men.