Job 12:13-13:19
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
13 “With God[a] are wisdom and strength;
he has counsel and understanding.(A)
14 If he tears down, no one can rebuild;
if he shuts someone in, no one can open up.(B)
15 If he withholds the waters, they dry up;
if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.(C)
16 With him are strength and wisdom;
the deceived and the deceiver are his.(D)
17 He leads counselors away stripped
and makes fools of judges.(E)
18 He looses the sash of kings
and binds a waistcloth on their loins.(F)
19 He leads priests away stripped
and overthrows the mighty.
20 He deprives of speech those who are trusted
and takes away the discernment of the elders.(G)
21 He pours contempt on princes
and looses the belt of the strong.(H)
22 He uncovers deep things from the darkness
and brings deep darkness to light.(I)
23 He makes nations great, then destroys them;
he enlarges nations, then leads them away.(J)
24 He strips understanding from the leaders[b] of the earth
and makes them wander in a pathless waste.(K)
25 They grope in the dark without light;
he makes them stagger like a drunkard.(L)
13 “Look, my eye has seen all this;
my ear has heard and understood it.
2 What you know, I also know;
I am not inferior to you.
3 But I would speak to the Almighty,[c]
and I desire to argue my case with God.(M)
4 As for you, you whitewash with lies;
all of you are worthless physicians.(N)
5 If you would only keep silent,
that would be your wisdom!(O)
6 Hear now my reasoning,
and listen to the pleadings of my lips.
7 Will you speak falsely for God
and speak deceitfully for him?
8 Will you show partiality toward him;
will you plead the case for God?
9 Will it be well with you when he searches you out?
Or can you deceive him as one person deceives another?(P)
10 He will surely rebuke you
if in secret you show partiality.
11 Will not his majesty terrify you
and the dread of him fall upon you?
12 Your maxims are proverbs of ashes;
your defenses are defenses of clay.(Q)
13 “Let me have silence, and I will speak,
and let come on me what may.
14 I will take my flesh in my teeth
and put my life in my hand.[d](R)
15 See, he will kill me; I have no hope;[e]
but I will defend my ways to his face.(S)
16 This will be my salvation,
that the godless shall not come before him.(T)
17 Listen carefully to my words,
and let my declaration be in your ears.(U)
18 I have indeed prepared my case;
I know that I shall be vindicated.
19 Who is there who will contend with me?
For then I would be silent and die.(V)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.