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
New King James Version
Job Answers His Critics
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 (A)inferior to you.
Indeed, who does not know such things as these?
4 “I(B) am one mocked by his friends,
Who (C)called on God, and He answered him,
The just and blameless who is ridiculed.
5 A [b]lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease;
It is made ready for (D)those whose feet slip.
6 (E)The tents of robbers prosper,
And those who provoke God are secure—
In what God provides by His hand.
7 “But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
8 Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;
And the fish of the sea will explain to you.
9 Who among all these does not know
That the hand of the Lord has done this,
10 (F)In whose hand is the [c]life of every living thing,
And the (G)breath of [d]all mankind?
11 Does not the ear test words
And the [e]mouth taste its food?
12 Wisdom is with aged men,
And with [f]length of days, understanding.
13 “With Him are (H)wisdom and strength,
He has counsel and understanding.
14 If (I)He breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt;
If He imprisons a man, there can be no release.
15 If He (J)withholds the waters, they dry up;
If He (K)sends them out, they overwhelm the earth.
16 With Him are strength and prudence.
The deceived and the deceiver are His.
17 He leads counselors away plundered,
And makes fools of the judges.
18 He loosens the bonds of kings,
And binds their waist with a belt.
19 He leads [g]princes away plundered,
And overthrows the mighty.
20 (L)He deprives the trusted ones of speech,
And takes away the discernment of the elders.
21 (M)He pours contempt on princes,
And [h]disarms the mighty.
22 He (N)uncovers deep things out of darkness,
And brings the shadow of death to light.
23 (O)He makes nations great, and destroys them;
He [i]enlarges nations, and guides them.
24 He takes away the [j]understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth,
And (P)makes them wander in a pathless wilderness.
25 (Q)They grope in the dark without light,
And He makes them (R)stagger like a drunken man.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
