Job 12
1 And Job answereth and saith: —
And Job answered and said,
2 Truly — ye [are] the people, And with you doth wisdom die.
No doubt but ye [are] the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
3 I also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like these?
But I have understanding as well as you; I [am] not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
4 A laughter to his friend I am: 'He calleth to God, and He answereth him,' A laughter [is] the perfect righteous one.
I am [as] one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright [man is] laughed to scorn.
5 A torch — despised in the thoughts of the secure Is prepared for those sliding with the feet.
He that is ready to slip with [his] feet [is as] a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
6 At peace are the tents of spoilers, And those provoking God have confidence, He into whose hand God hath brought.
The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth [abundantly].
7 And yet, ask, I pray thee, [One of] the beasts, and it doth shew thee, And a fowl of the heavens, And it doth declare to thee.
But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:
8 Or talk to the earth, and it sheweth thee, And fishes of the sea recount to thee:
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
9 'Who hath not known in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath done this?
Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
10 In whose hand [is] the breath of every living thing, And the spirit of all flesh of man.'
In whose hand [is] the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
11 Doth not the ear try words? And the palate taste food for itself?
Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
12 With the very aged [is] wisdom, And [with] length of days understanding.
With the ancient [is] wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
13 With Him [are] wisdom and might, To him [are] counsel and understanding.
With him [is] wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
14 Lo, He breaketh down, and it is not built up, He shutteth against a man, And it is not opened.
Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
15 Lo, He keepeth in the waters, and they are dried up, And he sendeth them forth, And they overturn the land.
Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
16 With Him [are] strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.
With him [is] strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver [are] his.
17 Causing counsellors to go away a spoil, And judges He maketh foolish.
He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
18 The bands of kings He hath opened, And He bindeth a girdle on their loins.
He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
19 Causing ministers to go away a spoil And strong ones He overthroweth.
He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
20 Turning aside the lip of the stedfast, And the reason of the aged He taketh away.
He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
21 Pouring contempt upon princes, And the girdle of the mighty He made feeble.
He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
22 Removing deep things out of darkness, And He bringeth out to light death-shade.
He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
23 Magnifying the nations, and He destroyeth them, Spreading out the nations, and He quieteth them.
He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them [again].
24 Turning aside the heart Of the heads of the people of the land, And he causeth them to wander In vacancy — no way!
He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness [where there is] no way.
25 They feel darkness, and not light, He causeth them to wander as a drunkard.
They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like [a] drunken [man].
