< Job 12 >

1 Then Job answered and said:
ὑπολαβὼν δὲ Ιωβ λέγει
2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
εἶτα ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἄνθρωποι ἦ μεθ’ ὑμῶν τελευτήσει σοφία
3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
κἀμοὶ μὲν καρδία καθ’ ὑμᾶς ἐστιν
4 I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbour, a man that called upon God, and He answered him; the just, the innocent man is a laughing-stock,
δίκαιος γὰρ ἀνὴρ καὶ ἄμεμπτος ἐγενήθη εἰς χλεύασμα
5 A contemptible brand in the thought of him that is at ease, a thing ready for them whose foot slippeth.
εἰς χρόνον γὰρ τακτὸν ἡτοίμαστο πεσεῖν ὑπὸ ἄλλους οἴκους τε αὐτοῦ ἐκπορθεῖσθαι ὑπὸ ἀνόμων
6 The tents of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure, in whatsoever God bringeth into their hand.
οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ μηδεὶς πεποιθέτω πονηρὸς ὢν ἀθῷος ἔσεσθαι ὅσοι παροργίζουσιν τὸν κύριον ὡς οὐχὶ καὶ ἔτασις αὐτῶν ἔσται
7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee;
ἀλλὰ δὴ ἐπερώτησον τετράποδα ἐάν σοι εἴπωσιν πετεινὰ δὲ οὐρανοῦ ἐάν σοι ἀπαγγείλωσιν
8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee;
ἐκδιήγησαι δὲ γῇ ἐάν σοι φράσῃ καὶ ἐξηγήσονταί σοι οἱ ἰχθύες τῆς θαλάσσης
9 Who knoweth not among all these, that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
τίς οὐκ ἔγνω ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις ὅτι χεὶρ κυρίου ἐποίησεν ταῦτα
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. —
εἰ μὴ ἐν χειρὶ αὐτοῦ ψυχὴ πάντων τῶν ζώντων καὶ πνεῦμα παντὸς ἀνθρώπου
11 Doth not the ear try words, even as the palate tasteth its food?
οὖς μὲν γὰρ ῥήματα διακρίνει λάρυγξ δὲ σῖτα γεύεται
12 Is wisdom with aged men, and understanding in length of days? —
ἐν πολλῷ χρόνῳ σοφία ἐν δὲ πολλῷ βίῳ ἐπιστήμη
13 With Him is wisdom and might; He hath counsel and understanding.
παρ’ αὐτῷ σοφία καὶ δύναμις αὐτῷ βουλὴ καὶ σύνεσις
14 Behold, He breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
ἐὰν καταβάλῃ τίς οἰκοδομήσει ἐὰν κλείσῃ κατὰ ἀνθρώπων τίς ἀνοίξει
15 Behold, He withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; also He sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
ἐὰν κωλύσῃ τὸ ὥδωρ ξηρανεῖ τὴν γῆν ἐὰν δὲ ἐπαφῇ ἀπώλεσεν αὐτὴν καταστρέψας
16 With Him is strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His.
παρ’ αὐτῷ κράτος καὶ ἰσχύς αὐτῷ ἐπιστήμη καὶ σύνεσις
17 He leadeth counsellors away stripped, and judges maketh He fools.
διάγων βουλευτὰς αἰχμαλώτους κριτὰς δὲ γῆς ἐξέστησεν
18 He looseth the bond of kings, and bindeth their loins with a girdle.
καθιζάνων βασιλεῖς ἐπὶ θρόνους καὶ περιέδησεν ζώνῃ ὀσφύας αὐτῶν
19 He leadeth priests away stripped, and overthroweth the mighty.
ἐξαποστέλλων ἱερεῖς αἰχμαλώτους δυνάστας δὲ γῆς κατέστρεψεν
20 He removeth the speech of men of trust, and taketh away the sense of the elders.
διαλλάσσων χείλη πιστῶν σύνεσιν δὲ πρεσβυτέρων ἔγνω
21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and looseth the belt of the strong.
ἐκχέων ἀτιμίαν ἐπ’ ἄρχοντας ταπεινοὺς δὲ ἰάσατο
22 He uncovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
ἀνακαλύπτων βαθέα ἐκ σκότους ἐξήγαγεν δὲ εἰς φῶς σκιὰν θανάτου
23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; He enlargeth the nations, and leadeth them away.
πλανῶν ἔθνη καὶ ἀπολλύων αὐτά καταστρωννύων ἔθνη καὶ καθοδηγῶν αὐτά
24 He taketh away the heart of the chiefs of the people of the land, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
διαλλάσσων καρδίας ἀρχόντων γῆς ἐπλάνησεν δὲ αὐτοὺς ὁδῷ ᾗ οὐκ ᾔδεισαν
25 They grope in the dark without light, and He maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
ψηλαφήσαισαν σκότος καὶ μὴ φῶς πλανηθείησαν δὲ ὥσπερ ὁ μεθύων

< Job 12 >