Job 12

1And Job answered and said,

1And Job made answer and said,

2Truly ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you!

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

3I also have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; and who knoweth not such things as these?

3But I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of such things as these?

4I am to be one that is a derision to his friend, I who call uponGod, and whom he will answer: a derision is the just upright [man].

4It 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!

5He that is ready to stumble with the foot is a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

5In 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.

6The tents of desolators are in peace, and they that provokeGod are secure; into whose handGod bringeth.

6There 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.

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

7But 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;

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

8Or 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.

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

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

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

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

11Doth not the ear try words, as the palate tasteth food?

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

12With the aged is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.

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

13With him is wisdom and might; he hath counsel and understanding.

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

14Behold, he breaketh down, and it is not built again; he shutteth up a man, and there is no opening.

14Truly, 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.

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

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

16With him is strength and effectual knowledge; the deceived and the deceiver are his.

16With him are strength and wise designs; he who is guided into error, together with his guide, are in his hands;

17He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and judges maketh he fools;

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

18He weakeneth the government of kings, and bindeth their loins with a fetter;

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

19He leadeth priests away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty;

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

20He depriveth of speech the trusty, and taketh away the judgment of the elders;

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

21He poureth contempt upon nobles, and slackeneth the girdle of the mighty;

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

22He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out into light the shadow of death;

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

23He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; he spreadeth out the nations, and bringeth them in;

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

24He taketh away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a pathless waste.

24He takes away the wisdom of the rulers of the earth, and sends them wandering in a waste where there is no way.

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

25They go feeling about in the dark without light, wandering without help like those overcome with wine.