Job 12

1 Then Job answered and said,

Then Job answered and said:

2 No doubt but ye are the people, And wisdom shall 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: Yea, who knoweth not 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 as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbor, I who called upon God, and he answered: The just, the perfect man is a laughing-stock.

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 that is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; It is ready for them whose foot slippeth.

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, And they that provoke God are secure; Into whose hand God bringeth [abundantly].

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

7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; And the birds of the heavens, and they shall tell thee:

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 shall teach thee; And the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

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

9 Who knoweth not in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this,

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

10 In whose hand is the soul 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 Doth not the ear try words, Even as the palate tasteth its food?

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

12 With aged men is wisdom, And 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 hath counsel and understanding.

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

14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

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

15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; Again, he sendeth 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 leadeth counsellors away stripped, And judges maketh he fools.

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

18 He looseth the bond of kings, And he bindeth their loins with a girdle.

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

19 He leadeth priests away stripped, And overthroweth the mighty.

He leadeth priests away captive, And overthroweth the mighty.

20 He removeth the speech of the trusty, And taketh away the understanding of the elders.

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

21 He poureth contempt upon princes, And looseth the belt of the strong.

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

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

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

23 He increaseth the nations, and he destroyeth them: He enlargeth the nations, and he leadeth them captive.

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

24 He taketh away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, And causeth 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; And he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

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