Job 12

1 And Job answered and said,

Then Job answered,

2 So then ye [alone] are men, and wisdom shall die with you?

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

3 [But] I also have a heart as well as you.

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

4 For a righteous and blameless man has become a subject for mockery.

I am like one who is a joke to his neighbor, I, who called on God, and he answered. The just, the blameless man is a joke.

5 For it had been ordained that he should fall under others at the appointed time, and that his houses should be spoiled by transgressors: let not however any one trust that, being evil, he shall be [held] guiltless,

In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.

6 even as many as provoke the Lord, as if there were indeed to be no inquisition [made] of them.

The tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their god in their hands.

7 But ask now the beasts, if they may speak to thee; and the birds of the air, if they may declare to thee.

"But ask the animals, now, and they shall teach you; the birds of the sky, and they shall tell you.

8 Tell the earth, if it may speak to thee: and the fishes of the sea shall explain to thee.

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you. The fish of the sea shall declare to you.

9 Who then has not known in all these things, that the hand of the Lord has made them?

Who doesn't know that in all these, the hand of YHWH has done this,

10 Whereas the life of all living things is in his hand, and the breath of every man.

in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all humankind?

11 For the ear tries words, and the palate tastes meats.

Doesn't the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?

12 In length of time is wisdom, and in long life knowledge.

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

13 With him are wisdom and power, with him counsel and understanding.

"With him is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.

14 If he should cast down, who will build up? if he should shut up against man, who shall open?

Look, he breaks down, and it can't be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

15 If he should withhold the water, he will dry the earth: and if he should let it loose, he overthrows and destroys it.

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

16 With him are strength and power: he has knowledge and understanding.

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

17 He leads counsellors away captive, and maddens the judges of the earth.

He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.

18 He seats kings upon thrones, and girds their loins with a girdle.

He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.

19 He sends away priests into captivity, and overthrows the mighty ones of the earth.

He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.

20 He changes the lips of the trusty, and he knows the understanding of the elders.

He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.

21 He pours dishonour upon princes, and heals the lowly.

He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.

22 Revealing deep things out of darkness: and he has brought into light the shadow of death.

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

23 Causing the nations to wander, and destroying them: overthrowing the nations, and leading them [away].

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

24 Perplexing the minds of the princes of the earth: and he causes them to wander in a way, they have not known, [saying],

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.

25 Let them grope [in] darkness, and [let there be] no light, and let them wander as a drunken man.

They grope in the dark without light. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.