Job 12

1 Then Job answered,

Then Job answered and said:

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

No doubt ye are the whole people! And wisdom will die 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?

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

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.

I am become a laughing-stock to my friend, —I who call upon God, that he would answer me! The innocent and upright man is held in derision.

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

To calamity belongeth contempt in the mind of one at ease; It is ready for them that slip with the feet.

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

The tents of robbers are in prosperity, And they who provoke God are secure, Who carry their God in their hand.

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

For ask now the beasts, and they will teach thee; Or the fowls of the air, and they will tell thee;

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

Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct thee; And the fishes of the sea will declare unto thee.

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

Who among all these doth not know That the hand of Jehovah doeth these things?

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

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind.

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

Doth not the ear prove words, As the mouth tasteth meat?

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

With the aged is wisdom, And with length of days is understanding.

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

With Him are wisdom and strength; With Him counsel and understanding.

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

Lo! he pulleth down, and it shall not be rebuilt; He bindeth a man, and he shall not be set loose.

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

Lo! he withholdeth the waters, and they are dried up; He sendeth them forth, and they lay waste the earth.

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

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

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

He leadeth counsellors away captive, And judges he maketh fools.

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

He looseth the authority of kings, And bindeth their loins with a cord.

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

He leadeth priests away captive, And overthroweth the mighty.

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

He removeth speech from the trusty, And taketh away judgment from the elders.

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

He poureth contempt upon princes, And looseth the girdle of the mighty.

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

He revealeth deep things out of darkness, And bringeth the shadow of death to light.

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

He exalteth nations, and destroyeth them; He enlargeth nations, and leadeth them captive.

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.

He taketh away the understanding of the great men of the land, And causeth them to wander in a wilderness, where is no path;

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

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