Job 12

1 Then Job answered,

And Job answered and said,

2 “No doubt, but you are the people, and wisdom will die with you.

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

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

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

4 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.

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

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

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,

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

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

7 “But ask the animals now, and they will teach you; the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.

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

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

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

9 Who doesn’t know that in all these, the LORD’s hand has done this,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

14 Behold, he breaks down, and it can’t be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

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

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

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

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

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

17 He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He pours dishonor upon princes, and heals the lowly.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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