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Job 12
Expanded Bible
Job 12
Expanded Bible
Job Answers Zophar
12 Then Job answered:
2 “You ·really [truly] think you are the ·only wise people [L people]
and that when you die, wisdom will die with you [C Job attacks the friends’ confidence in their wisdom]!
3 But my ·mind [L heart; C the heart was considered the location of thought] is as good as yours;
·you are not better than I am [L I am not inferior to you].
·Everyone knows all these things [L Who is not like these?; C probably a reference to the three friends and their intelligence].
4 ·My friends all laugh at me [L I am a joke to my friends],
I who called on God and he answered me [C a 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 [L have contempt when] others have trouble;
they think it right that those people ·should have troubles [L have shaky/unstable feet].
6 The tents of ·robbers [marauders] ·are not bothered [L have peace and quiet],
and those who make God angry are ·safe [confident].
They have their god in their ·pocket [control; L hand].
7 “But ask the ·animals [beasts; cattle], and they will teach you [C that 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 [L Who does not know…?]
that the hand of the Lord has done this.
10 The ·life [L breath] 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 [L advice] and understanding.
14 What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;
anyone he ·puts in prison [L shuts up] cannot be let out.
15 If God holds back the waters, ·there is no rain [L they 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 [L renders 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; C he undermines their royal prerogatives and powers and causes them pain].
19 He leads priests away ·naked [L plundered]
and destroys the ·powerful [L long-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 [L loosens the belt] of the strong.
22 He uncovers the deep things ·of [L from the] darkness
and brings dark shadows ·into [or to overshadow] the light [C can 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 [L heart] 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 [L wander around] like drunks.
约伯记 12
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
约伯记 12
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
约伯的回答
12 约伯回答说：
2 “你们真是什么都懂的人啊，
你们死了，智慧也会消逝！
3 但我也有心智，不比你们逊色。
你们说的，谁不知道？
4 我这求告上帝并蒙祂应允的人竟成了朋友的笑柄，
我这公义纯全的人竟成了笑柄。
5 安逸的人心中藐视灾祸，
常常藐视那些滑倒的人。
6 强盗的帐篷太平，
冒犯上帝、手捧神像的人安稳。
7 “你去问走兽，它们会指教你；
问天上的飞禽，它们会告诉你；
8 向大地讨教，大地会指教你，
或让海中的鱼为你阐明。
9 它们当中哪个不知这是耶和华所为？
10 所有生灵都在祂手中，
世人的气息也不例外。
11 舌头岂不品尝食物，
耳朵岂不辨别话语？
12 智慧与老人相伴，
知识与长者为伍。
13 “上帝有智慧和权能，
谋略和知识属于祂。
14 祂拆毁的，无法重建；
祂囚禁的，无法获释。
15 祂拦住水源，便有干旱；
祂放开水源，大地被淹没。
16 祂充满力量和智慧。
骗子和受骗者都在祂权下。
17 祂使谋士赤身被掳，
使审判官愚拙不堪。
18 祂除去君王的腰带，
在他们腰间绑上囚索。
19 祂使祭司赤身被掳，
祂推翻久握大权者。
20 祂夺去智者的口才，
祂拿走长者的洞见。
21 祂使权贵倍受羞辱，
祂除掉强者的权势。
22 祂揭露黑暗中的奥秘，
祂把幽暗带入光明中。
23 祂使列国兴起又灭亡，
祂使列国扩张又崩溃。
24 祂夺去世人首领的心智，
使他们在无路的荒野流浪。
25 他们在无光的黑暗中摸索，
像醉汉般踉踉跄跄。
Job 12
English Standard Version
Job 12
English Standard Version
Job Replies: The Lord Has Done This
12 Then Job answered and said:
2 “No doubt you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you.
3 But I have (A)understanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know (B)such things as these?
4 I am (C)a laughingstock to my friends;
I, who (D)called to God and he answered me,
a just and blameless man, am a laughingstock.
5 In the thought of one who is (E)at ease there is contempt for misfortune;
it is ready for those whose feet slip.
6 (F)The tents of robbers are at peace,
and those who provoke God are secure,
who bring their god in their hand.[a]
7 “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you;
8 or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you;[b]
and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
9 Who among all these does not know
that (G)the hand of the Lord has done this?
10 In (H)his hand is the life of every living thing
and the breath of all mankind.
11 Does not (I)the ear test words
as the palate tastes food?
12 Wisdom is with (J)the aged,
and understanding in length of days.
13 (K)“With God[c] are wisdom and might;
he has counsel and understanding.
14 If he tears down, none can rebuild;
if he (L)shuts a man in, none can open.
15 If he (M)withholds the waters, they dry up;
if he (N)sends them out, they overwhelm the land.
16 With him are strength and (O)sound wisdom;
the deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 He leads (P)counselors away stripped,
and (Q)judges he makes fools.
18 He (R)looses the bonds of kings
and binds a waistcloth on their hips.
19 He leads priests away stripped
and overthrows the mighty.
20 He deprives of speech those who are trusted
(S)and takes away the discernment of the elders.
21 He (T)pours contempt on princes
and loosens the belt of the strong.
22 He (U)uncovers the deeps out of darkness
and brings (V)deep darkness to light.
23 He (W)makes nations great, and he destroys them;
he enlarges nations, and (X)leads them away.
24 He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth
and (Y)makes them wander in a trackless waste.
25 They (Z)grope in the dark without light,
and he makes them (AA)stagger like a drunken man.
Job 12
New International Version
Job 12
New International Version
Job
12 Then Job replied:
2 “Doubtless you are the only people who matter,
and wisdom will die with you!(A)
3 But I have a mind as well as you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who does not know all these things?(B)
4 “I have become a laughingstock(C) to my friends,(D)
though I called on God and he answered(E)—
a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!(F)
5 Those who are at ease have contempt(G) for misfortune
as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.(H)
6 The tents of marauders are undisturbed,(I)
and those who provoke God are secure(J)—
those God has in his hand.[a]
7 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you,(K)
or the birds in the sky,(L) and they will tell you;(M)
8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
or let the fish in the sea inform you.
9 Which of all these does not know(N)
that the hand of the Lord has done this?(O)
10 In his hand is the life(P) of every creature
and the breath of all mankind.(Q)
11 Does not the ear test words
as the tongue tastes food?(R)
12 Is not wisdom found among the aged?(S)
Does not long life bring understanding?(T)
13 “To God belong wisdom(U) and power;(V)
counsel and understanding are his.(W)
14 What he tears down(X) cannot be rebuilt;(Y)
those he imprisons cannot be released.(Z)
15 If he holds back the waters,(AA) there is drought;(AB)
if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.(AC)
16 To him belong strength and insight;(AD)
both deceived and deceiver are his.(AE)
17 He leads rulers away stripped(AF)
and makes fools of judges.(AG)
18 He takes off the shackles(AH) put on by kings
and ties a loincloth[b] around their waist.(AI)
19 He leads priests away stripped(AJ)
and overthrows officials long established.(AK)
20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers
and takes away the discernment of elders.(AL)
21 He pours contempt on nobles(AM)
and disarms the mighty.(AN)
22 He reveals the deep things of darkness(AO)
and brings utter darkness(AP) into the light.(AQ)
23 He makes nations great, and destroys them;(AR)
he enlarges nations,(AS) and disperses them.(AT)
24 He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;(AU)
he makes them wander in a trackless waste.(AV)
25 They grope in darkness with no light;(AW)
he makes them stagger like drunkards.(AX)
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified) (CCB)
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.