² “You ·really [truly] think you are the ·only wise people [^Lpeople]
    and that when you die, wisdom will die with you [^CJob attacks the friends’ confidence in their wisdom]!
³ But my ·mind [^Lheart; ^Cthe heart was considered the location of thought] is as good as yours;
    ·you are not better than I am [^LI am not inferior to you].
    ·Everyone knows all these things [^LWho is not like these?; ^Cprobably a reference to the three friends and their intelligence].
⁴ ·My friends all laugh at me [^LI am a joke to my friends],
    I who called on God and he answered me [^Ca reference to his earlier days, which the friends now think are a joke];
    they laugh at me even though I am right and innocent!
⁵ Those who are ·comfortable [at ease] ·don’t care that [^Lhave contempt when] others have trouble;
    they think it right that those people ·should have troubles [^Lhave shaky/unstable feet].
⁶ The tents of ·robbers [marauders] ·are not bothered [^Lhave peace and quiet],
    and those who make God angry are ·safe [confident].
They have their god in their ·pocket [control; ^Lhand].

⁷ “But ask the ·animals [beasts; cattle], and they will teach you [^Cthat God is unjust],
    or ask the birds of the ·air [sky], and they will ·tell [inform] you.
⁸ Speak to the plants of the earth, and they will teach you,
    or let the fish of the sea ·tell [recount it to] you.
⁹ ·Every one of these knows [^LWho does not know…?]
    that the hand of the Lord has done this.
¹⁰ The ·life [^Lbreath] of ·every creature [all living things]
    and the ·breath [or spirit] of all people are in God’s hand.
¹¹ ·The ear tests [Does not the ear test…?] words
    as the ·tongue [palate] tastes food.
¹² Older people are wise,
    and long life brings understanding.

¹³ “But only God has wisdom and power,
    ·good advice [^Ladvice] and understanding.
¹⁴ What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;
    anyone he ·puts in prison [^Lshuts up] cannot be let out.
¹⁵ If God holds back the waters, ·there is no rain [^Lthey dry up];
    if he lets the waters go, they flood the land.
¹⁶ He is strong and ·victorious [successful; or resourceful];
    both the one who ·fools others [deceives] and the one who is ·fooled [deceived] belong to him.
¹⁷ God leads ·the wise away [counselors] ·as captives [plundered]
    and ·turns judges into fools [^Lrenders judges deluded].
¹⁸ He ·takes off chains that kings put on [or loosens the sash of kings]
    and ·puts a garment on their bodies [or tightens the waistcloth around their hips; ^Che undermines their royal prerogatives and powers and causes them pain].
¹⁹ He leads priests away ·naked [^Lplundered]
    and destroys the ·powerful [^Llong-established].
²⁰ He makes trusted people be silent
    and takes away the ·wisdom [discernment] of elders.
²¹ He brings disgrace on ·important people [princes]
    and ·takes away the weapons [^Lloosens the belt] of the strong.
²² He uncovers the deep things ·of [^Lfrom the] darkness
    and brings dark shadows ·into [or to overshadow] the light [^Ccan mean either that God lightens the dark or darkens the light].
²³ He makes nations great and then destroys them;
    he makes nations large and then scatters them.
²⁴ He takes ·understanding [^Lheart] away from the leaders of the earth
    and makes them wander through a ·pathless desert [chaos/wasteland without a path].
²⁵ They ·feel around [grope] in darkness with no light;
    he makes them ·stumble [^Lwander around] like drunks.