Job 12:13-25
New International Version
13 “To God belong wisdom(A) and power;(B)
counsel and understanding are his.(C)
14 What he tears down(D) cannot be rebuilt;(E)
those he imprisons cannot be released.(F)
15 If he holds back the waters,(G) there is drought;(H)
if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.(I)
16 To him belong strength and insight;(J)
both deceived and deceiver are his.(K)
17 He leads rulers away stripped(L)
and makes fools of judges.(M)
18 He takes off the shackles(N) put on by kings
and ties a loincloth[a] around their waist.(O)
19 He leads priests away stripped(P)
and overthrows officials long established.(Q)
20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers
and takes away the discernment of elders.(R)
21 He pours contempt on nobles(S)
and disarms the mighty.(T)
22 He reveals the deep things of darkness(U)
and brings utter darkness(V) into the light.(W)
23 He makes nations great, and destroys them;(X)
he enlarges nations,(Y) and disperses them.(Z)
24 He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;(AA)
he makes them wander in a trackless waste.(AB)
25 They grope in darkness with no light;(AC)
he makes them stagger like drunkards.(AD)
Footnotes
- Job 12:18 Or shackles of kings / and ties a belt
Job 12:13-25
New American Standard Bible
Job Speaks of the Power of God
13 “(A)Wisdom and (B)might are with Him;
Advice and (C)understanding belong to Him.
14 Behold, He (D)tears down, and it cannot be rebuilt;
He [a](E)imprisons a person, and [b]there is no release.
15 Behold, He (F)restrains the waters, and they dry up;
And He (G)sends them out, and they [c]inundate the earth.
16 Strength and sound wisdom are with Him.
One who (H)goes astray and one who leads astray belong to Him.
17 He makes (I)advisers walk [d]barefoot
And makes fools of (J)judges.
18 He (K)undoes the binding of kings,
And ties a loincloth around their waist.
19 He makes priests walk [e]barefoot,
And overthrows (L)the secure ones.
20 He deprives the trusted ones of speech,
And (M)takes away the discernment of the elders.
21 He (N)pours contempt on nobles,
And (O)loosens the belt of the strong.
22 He (P)reveals mysteries from the darkness,
And brings the deep darkness into light.
23 He (Q)makes the nations great, then destroys them;
He [f]enlarges the nations, then leads them away.
24 He (R)deprives the leaders of the earth’s people of [g]intelligence
And makes them wander in a pathless wasteland.
25 They (S)grope in darkness with no light,
And He makes them (T)stagger like a drunken person.
Job 12:13-25
Amplified Bible
Job Speaks of the Power of God
13
“But [only] with Him are [perfect] wisdom and might;
He [alone] has [true] counsel and understanding.
14
“Behold, He tears down, and it cannot be rebuilt;
He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.
15
“Behold, He restrains the waters, and they dry up;
Again, He sends the waters out, and they overwhelm and devastate the earth.
16
“With Him are might and sound wisdom,
The misled and the misleader are His [and in His power].
17
“He makes [great and scheming] counselors walk barefoot
And makes fools of judges.
18
“He loosens the bond of kings
And binds their loins with a loincloth.
19
“He makes priests walk barefoot,
And He overturns men firmly seated and secure.
20
“He deprives the trusted ones of speech
And takes away the discernment and discretion of the aged.
21
“He pours contempt on princes and nobles
And loosens the belt of the strong [disabling them].
22
“He uncovers mysteries [that are difficult to grasp and understand] out of the darkness
And brings black gloom and the shadow of death into light.
23
“He makes nations great, and He destroys them;
He enlarges nations, and leads them away [captive].
24
“He removes intelligence and understanding from the leaders of the people of the earth
And makes them wander and move blindly in a pathless waste.
25
“They grope in darkness without light,
And He makes them stagger like a drunken man.”
Job 12:13-25
King James Version
13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath 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.
15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.
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.
25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
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Job 12:13-25
Contemporary English Version
13 But God is the real source
of wisdom and strength.
14 No one can rebuild
what he destroys, or release
those he has imprisoned.
15 God can hold back the rain
or send a flood,
16 just as he rules over liars
and those they lie to.
17 God shames counselors,
turns judges into fools,
18 and makes slaves of kings.
19 God removes priests and others
who have great power—
20 he confuses wise,
experienced advisors,
21 puts mighty kings to shame,
and takes away their power.
22 God turns darkness to light;
23 he makes nations strong,
then shatters their strength.
24 God strikes their rulers senseless,
then leaves them to roam
through barren deserts,
25 lost in the dark, staggering
like someone drunk.
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