Job 12

1 And Job made answer and said,

And Job answered and said,

2 No doubt you have knowledge, and wisdom will come to an end with you.

No doubt but ye [are] the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

3 But I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of 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 It seems that I am to be as one who is a cause of laughing to his neighbour, one who makes his prayer to God and is answered! the upright man who has done no wrong is to be made sport of!

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 In the thought of him who is in comfort there is no respect for one who is in trouble; such is the fate of those whose feet are slipping.

He that is ready to slip with [his] feet [is as] a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

6 There is wealth in the tents of those who make destruction, and those by whom God is moved to wrath are safe; even those whose god is their strength.

The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth [abundantly].

7 But put now a question to the beasts, and get teaching from them; or to the birds of the heaven, and they will make it clear to you;

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

8 Or to the things which go flat on the earth, and they will give you wisdom; and the fishes of the sea will give you news of it.

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

9 Who does not see by all these that the hand of the Lord has done this?

Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man.

In whose hand [is] the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

11 Are not words tested by the ear, even as food is tasted by the mouth?

Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

12 Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge.

With the ancient [is] wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

13 With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge are his.

With him [is] wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

14 Truly, there is no building up of what is pulled down by him; when a man is shut up by him, no one may let him loose.

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

15 Truly, he keeps back the waters and they are dry; he sends them out and the earth is overturned.

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 wise designs; he who is guided into error, together with his guide, are in his hands;

With him [is] strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver [are] his.

17 He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;

He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

18 He undoes the chains of kings, and puts his band on them;

He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

19 He makes priests prisoners, overturning those in safe positions;

He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

20 He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;

He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.

21 He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong;

He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

22 Uncovering deep things out of the dark, and making the deep shade bright;

He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

23 Increasing nations, and sending destruction on them; making wide the lands of peoples, and then giving them up.

He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them [again].

24 He takes away the wisdom of the rulers of the earth, and sends them wandering in a waste where there is 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 go feeling about in the dark without light, wandering without help like those overcome with wine.

They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like [a] drunken [man].