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 you are the people; 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. Indeed, who does not know 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 something for my neighbor to laugh at— I, one who called on God and who was answered by him! I, a just and blameless man—I am now something to laugh at.

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

In the thought of someone who is at ease, there is contempt for misfortune; he thinks in a way that brings more misfortune to those whose foot is slipping.

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

The tents of robbers prosper, and those who provoke God feel secure; their own hands are their gods.

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

But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; ask the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you.

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 teach you; the fish of the sea will declare to you.

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

Which animal among all these does not know that the hand of Yahweh has done this?

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

In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.

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

Does not the ear test words just as the palate tastes its food?

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

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

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

With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding.

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

See, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again; if he imprisons someone, there can be no release.

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

See, if he withholds the waters, they dry up; and if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.

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

With him are strength and wisdom; people who are deceived and the deceiver are both in his power.

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

He leads counselors away barefoot in sorrow; he turns judges into fools.

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

He takes off the chain of authority from kings; he wraps a cloth about their waists.

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

He leads priests away barefoot in sorrow and overthrows mighty people.

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

He removes the speech of those who had been trusted and takes away the understanding of the elders.

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

He pours contempt upon princes and unfastens the belt of strong people.

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

He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light.

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

He makes nations strong, and he also destroys them; He enlarges nations, and he also leads them along as prisoners.

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 takes away understanding from the leaders of the people of the earth; he causes them to wander in a wilderness where there 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 makes them stagger like a drunk man.