Add parallel Print Page Options

12 Then Job answered,

“No doubt, but you are the people,
    and wisdom will die with you.
But I have understanding as well as you;
    I am not inferior to you.
    Yes, who doesn’t know such things as these?
I am like one who is a joke to his neighbor,
    I, who called on God, and he answered.
    The just, the blameless man is a joke.
In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune.
    It is ready for them whose foot slips.
The tents of robbers prosper.
    Those who provoke God are secure,
    who carry their god in their hands.

“But ask the animals, now, and they will teach you;
    the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you.
    The fish of the sea will declare to you.
Who doesn’t know that in all these,
    Yahweh’s hand has done this,
10 in whose hand is the life of every living thing,
    and the breath of all mankind?
11 Doesn’t the ear try words,
    even as the palate tastes its food?
12 With aged men is wisdom,
    in length of days understanding.

13 “With God is wisdom and might.
    He has counsel and understanding.
14 Behold, he breaks down, and it can’t be built again.
    He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.
15 Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up.
    Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.
16 With him is strength and wisdom.
    The deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 He leads counselors away stripped.
    He makes judges fools.
18 He loosens the bond of kings.
    He binds their waist with a belt.
19 He leads priests away stripped,
    and overthrows the mighty.
20 He removes the speech of those who are trusted,
    and takes away the understanding of the elders.
21 He pours contempt on princes,
    and loosens the belt of the strong.
22 He uncovers deep things out of darkness,
    and brings out to light the shadow of death.
23 He increases the nations, and he destroys them.
    He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.
24 He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth,
    and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
25 They grope in the dark without light.
    He makes them stagger like a drunken man.

12 Then Job answered and said,

No doubt but ye are the people,
And wisdom shall die with you.
But I have understanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you:
Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbor,
I who called upon God, and he answered:
The just, the perfect man is a laughing-stock.
In the thought of him that is at ease there is contempt for misfortune;
It is ready for them whose foot slippeth.
The tents of robbers prosper,
And they that provoke God are secure;
[a]Into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee;
And the birds of the heavens, and they shall tell thee:
Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee;
And the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
Who knoweth not [b]in all these,
That the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this,
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing,
And the [c]breath of all mankind?
11 Doth not the ear try words,
Even as the palate tasteth its food?
12 [d]With aged men is wisdom,
And in length of days understanding.

13 With [e]God is wisdom and might;
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;
Again, 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 stripped,
And judges maketh he fools.
18 He looseth the bond of kings,
And he bindeth their loins with a girdle.
19 He leadeth priests away stripped,
And overthroweth the mighty.
20 He removeth the speech of the trusty,
And taketh away the understanding of the elders.
21 He poureth contempt upon princes,
And looseth the belt of the strong.
22 He uncovereth deep things out of darkness,
And bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
23 He increaseth the nations, and he destroyeth them:
He enlargeth the nations, and he leadeth them captive.
24 He taketh away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the [f]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 [g]stagger like a drunken man.

Footnotes

  1. Job 12:6 Or, That bring their god in their hand
  2. Job 12:9 Or, by
  3. Job 12:10 Or, spirit
  4. Job 12:12 Or, With aged men, ye say, is wisdom
  5. Job 12:13 Hebrew him.
  6. Job 12:24 Or, land
  7. Job 12:25 Hebrew wander.