Add parallel Print Page Options

13 “With him are wisdom and powerful deeds,
and to him belong counsel and understanding.
14 If he tears down, then[a] it will not be rebuilt;
if he shuts a man in, then[b] he cannot be freed.
15 Look, if he withholds the water,[c] then[d] they dry up;
and if he sends them out, then[e] they overwhelm the land.
16 “Strength and sound wisdom are with him;
the deceived and the deceiver are his.[f]
17 He leads counselors away stripped,
and he makes fools of judges.
18 He loosens the fetters of kings,
and he binds a loincloth on their loins.
19 He leads priests away stripped,
and he overthrows the members of ancient families.[g]
20 He deprives the trustworthy of speech,
and he takes away the discretion of elders.
21 He pours contempt on noblemen,
and he loosens the girdle of the mighty.
22 “He uncovers mysteries out of darkness,
and he brings deep shadow to the light.
23 He makes the nations great, then[h] he destroys them;
he expands the nations, then[i] he guides them.
24 He strips away the insight of the heads of the earth’s people,
and he makes them wander in a pathless wasteland.[j]
25 They grope in the dark without[k] light,
and he makes them stagger like a[l] drunkard.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Job 12:14 Hebrew “and”
  2. Job 12:14 Hebrew “and”
  3. Job 12:15 Or “waters”
  4. Job 12:15 Hebrew “and”
  5. Job 12:15 Hebrew “and”
  6. Job 12:16 Or “for him”
  7. Job 12:19 Literally “the constant”
  8. Job 12:23 Hebrew “and”
  9. Job 12:23 Hebrew “and”
  10. Job 12:24 Literally “in a wasteland not a way”
  11. Job 12:25 Literally “and not”
  12. Job 12:25 Hebrew “the”

13 With [a]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 [b]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 [c]stagger like a drunken man.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Job 12:13 Hebrew him.
  2. Job 12:24 Or, land
  3. Job 12:25 Hebrew wander.