Job 12

1 Then responded Job, and said: —

Then Job answered and said,

2 Of a truth, ye, are the people, and, with you, wisdom, will die.

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

3 I also, have a mind like you, I, fall not short, of you, But who hath 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 A laughing-stock to one’s neighbour, do I become, one who hath called upon GOD and he hath answered him! A laughing-stock—a righteous man without blame!

I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbour, [a man] that called upon God, and he answered him: the just, the perfect man is a laughing-stock.

5 For ruin, there is contempt, in the thought of the man at ease, —ready, for such as are of faltering foot!

In the thought of him that is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; it is ready for them whose foot slippeth.

6 At peace are the tents that belong to the spoilers, and there is security to them who provoke GOD, To him who bringeth a god in his hand.

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

7 But, in very deed, ask, I pray thee, the beasts, and they will teach thee, and the bird of the heavens, and it will tell thee;

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

8 Or address the earth, and it will teach thee, and the fishes of the sea, will recount it to thee:

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

9 Who knoweth not, among all these, that, the hand of Yahweh, hath done this?

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

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

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 for itself, food?

Doth not the ear try words, even as the palate tasteth its meat?

12 In the Ancient, is wisdom, and [in] Length of Days, understanding:

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

13 With Him, are wisdom and strength, to Him, pertain counsel and understanding.

With him is wisdom and might; he hath counsel and understanding.

14 Lo! He pulleth down, and it cannot be built, He closeth up over a man, and it cannot be opened:

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

15 Lo! He holdeth back the waters, and they dry up, or sendeth them out, and they transform the earth:

Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; again, he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

16 With Him, is strength and effective wisdom, to Him, belong he that erreth, and he that causeth to err.

With him is strength and effectual working; the deceived and the deceiver are his.

17 Who leadeth away counsellors [as] a spoil, and, judges, He befooleth:

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

18 The fetters of kings, He looseth, or hath bound a slave’s waistcloth about their loins:

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

19 Who leadeth away priests [as] a spoil, and, men firmly seated, He overturneth:

He leadeth priests away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

20 Setting aside the speech of the trusty, and, the discernment of elders, He taketh away:

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

21 Pouring contempt upon nobles, and, the girdle of the mighty, hath He loosed:

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

22 Laying open deep things, out of darkness, and bringing out to light, the death-shade:

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

23 Who giveth greatness to nations, or destroyeth them, Who spreadeth out nations, or leadeth them into exile:

He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he spreadeth the nations abroad, and bringeth them in.

24 Who taketh away the sense of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and hath caused them to wander in a pathless waste:

He taketh away the heart of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

25 They grope about in the dark, having no light, and He hath made them to reel, like a drunken man.

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