Job 12:7-16

English Standard Version

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;^[a]
    and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
⁹ Who among all these does not know
    that ^(A)the hand of the Lord has done this?
¹⁰ In ^(B)his hand is the life of every living thing
    and the breath of all mankind.
¹¹ Does not ^(C)the ear test words
    as the palate tastes food?
¹² Wisdom is with ^(D)the aged,
    and understanding in length of days.

^13 (E)“With God^[b] are wisdom and might;
    he has counsel and understanding.
¹⁴ If he tears down, none can rebuild;
    if he ^(F)shuts a man in, none can open.
¹⁵ If he ^(G)withholds the waters, they dry up;
    if he ^(H)sends them out, they overwhelm the land.
¹⁶ With him are strength and ^(I)sound wisdom;
    the deceived and the deceiver are his.