Job 12-13

King James Version

12 And Job answered and said,

² No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

³ But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

⁴ I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

⁵ He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

⁶ The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

⁷ But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

⁸ Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

⁹ Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?

¹⁰ In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

¹¹ Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

¹² With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

¹³ With him is wisdom and strength, 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: also 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 spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

¹⁸ He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

¹⁹ He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

²⁰ He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.

²¹ He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

²² He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

²³ He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

²⁴ He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the 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 stagger like a drunken man.

13 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.

² What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto you.

³ Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

⁴ But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

⁵ O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

⁶ Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

⁷ Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

⁸ Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?

⁹ Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

¹⁰ He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.

¹¹ Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?

¹² Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

¹³ Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

¹⁴ Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

¹⁵ Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

¹⁶ He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

¹⁷ Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

¹⁸ Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.

¹⁹ Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.

²⁰ Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from thee.

²¹ Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.

²² Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer thou me.

²³ How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

²⁴ Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?

²⁵ Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

²⁶ For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

²⁷ Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.

²⁸ And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.