Job 12

1 And Job answered and said,

Then Job answered and said:

2 So then you [alone] are men, and wisdom shall die with you?

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

3 [But] I also have a heart as well as you.

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

4 For a righteous and blameless man has become a subject for mockery.

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 For it had been ordained that he should fall under others at the appointed time, and that his houses should be spoiled by transgressors: let not however any one trust that, being evil, he shall be [held] guiltless,

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

6 even as many as provoke the Lord, as if there were indeed to be no inquisition [made] of them.

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, if they may speak to you; and the birds of the air, if they may declare to you.

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

8 Tell the earth, if it may speak to you: and the fishes of the sea shall explain to you.

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

9 Who then has not known in all these things, that the hand of the Lord has made them?

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

10 Whereas the life of all living things is in his hand, and the breath of every man.

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

11 For the ear tries words, and the palate tastes meats.

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

12 In length of time is wisdom, and in long life knowledge.

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

13 With him are wisdom and power, with him counsel and understanding.

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

14 If he should cast down, who will build up? if he should shut up against man, who shall open?

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

15 If he should withhold the water, he will dry the earth: and if he should let it loose, he overthrows and destroys it.

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

16 With him are strength and power: he has knowledge and understanding.

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

17 He leads counselors away captive, and maddens the judges of the earth.

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

18 He seats kings upon thrones, and girds their loins with a girdle.

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

19 He sends away priests into captivity, and overthrows the mighty ones of the earth.

He leadeth priests away captive, And overthroweth the mighty.

20 He changes the lips of the trusty, and he knows the understanding of the elders.

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

21 He pours dishonor upon princes, and heals the lowly.

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

22 Revealing deep things out of darkness: and he has brought into light the shadow of death.

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

23 Causing the nations to wander, and destroying them: overthrowing the nations, and leading them [away].

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

24 Perplexing the minds of the princes of the earth: and he causes them to wander in a way, they have not known, [saying],

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 Let them grope [in] darkness, and [let there be] no light, and let them wander as a drunken man.

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