Job, 12

1. And Job answered and said,

1. Then Job answered:

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

2. No doubt you are the people's voice; when you die, wisdom dies 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?

3. But I have a mind as well as you, I know all that you have said.

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

4. To my friends I am a laughingstock when I call on God who does not answer; the just and blameless man is made fun of.

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

5. "Contempt for the unfortunate," so think the prosperous, "a blow for those who are staggering."

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

6. Yet the robbers' tents are undisturbed, those who provoke God are in peace, those who make a god of their strength.

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

7. But ask the beasts to teach you, the birds of the air to tell you,

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

8. the plants of the earth to instruct you, the fish of the sea to inform you.

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

9. Who among them does not understand that behind all this is God's hand?

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

10. He holds the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.

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

11. The ear surely can test the words as the tongue tastes food;

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

12. wisdom is found in the old, and understanding in great age;

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

13. in God however is wisdom and power; his are counsel and understanding.

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

14. What he tears down, none can rebuild; the one he imprisons, none can release.

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

15. If he withholds water, there is drought; if he lets it loose, there is flood.

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

16. In him are strength and perception; deceived and deceiver are in his power.

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

17. He leads counselors away stripped and makes fools of judges.

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

18. He loosens the belt of kings and ties a loincloth about their waist.

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

19. He leads priests away, barefoot, and overthrows those in power.

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

20. He compels advisers to keep silent, and strips elders of their discernment.

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

21. He puts princes to shame; he unties the girdle of the strong.

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

22. (He uncovers the gloomy recesses and brings the deep darkness to light.)

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

23. He makes a nation rise and fall, a people to grow and to dwindle.

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.

24. He deprives leaders of their judgment, leaving them to roam in a trackless waste.

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

25. Without light, they grope in the dark and stagger like drunkards.