Job 12

1 And Job answered and said,

Sotheli Joob answeride, and seide,

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

Therfor ben ye men aloone, that wisdom dwelle 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?

And to me is an herte, as and to you, and Y am not lowere than ye; for who knowith not these thingis, whiche ye knowen?

4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon Eloah, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

He that is scorned of his frend, as Y am, schal inwardli clepe God, and God schal here hym; for the symplenesse of a iust man is scorned.

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

A laumpe is dispisid at the thouytis of riche men, and the laumpe is maad redi to a tyme ordeyned.

6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke El are secure; into whose hand Eloah bringeth abundantly.

The tabernaclis of robberis ben plenteuouse, `ether ful of goodis; and boldli thei terren God to wraththe, whanne he hath youe alle thingis in to her hondis.

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

No wondur, ax thou beestis, and tho schulen teche thee; and axe thou volatilis of the eir, and tho schulen schewe to thee.

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

Speke thou to the erthe, and it schal answere thee; and the fischis of the see schulen telle tho thingis.

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

Who knowith not that the hond of the Lord made alle these thingis?

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

In whos hond the soule is of ech lyuynge thing, and the spirit, `that is, resonable soule, of ech fleisch of man.

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

Whether the eere demeth not wordis, and the chekis of the etere demen sauour?

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

Wisdom is in elde men, and prudence is in myche tyme.

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

Wisdom and strengthe is at God; he hath counsel and vndurstondyng.

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

If he distrieth, no man is that bildith; if he schittith in a man, `noon is that openith.

15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

If he holdith togidere watris, alle thingis schulen be maad drie; if he sendith out tho watris, tho schulen distrie the erthe.

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

Strengthe and wisdom is at God; he knowith bothe hym that disseyueth and hym that is disseyued.

17 He leadeth counsellers away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

And he bryngith conselours in to a fonned eende, and iugis in to wondryng, ethir astonying.

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

He vnbindith the girdil of kyngis, and girdith her reynes with a coorde.

19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

He ledith her prestis with out glorie, and he disseyueth the principal men, `ethir counselours;

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

and he chaungith the lippis of sothefast men, and takith awei the doctrine of elde men.

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

He schedith out dispisyng on princes, and releeueth hem, that weren oppressid.

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

Which schewith depe thingis fro derknessis; and bryngith forth in to liyt the schadewe of deeth.

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

Which multiplieth folkis, and leesith hem, and restorith hem destried in to the hool.

24 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.

Which chaungith the herte of princes of the puple of erthe; and disseyueth hem, that thei go in veyn out of the weie.

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

Thei schulen grope, as in derknessis, and not in liyt; and he schal make hem to erre as drunken men.