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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.

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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 (A)“With God[a] are wisdom and might;
    he has counsel and understanding.
14 If he tears down, none can rebuild;
    if he (B)shuts a man in, none can open.
15 If he (C)withholds the waters, they dry up;
    if he (D)sends them out, they overwhelm the land.
16 With him are strength and (E)sound wisdom;
    the deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 He leads (F)counselors away stripped,
    and (G)judges he makes fools.
18 He (H)looses the bonds of kings
    and binds a waistcloth on their hips.
19 He leads priests away stripped
    and overthrows the mighty.
20 He deprives of speech those who are trusted
    (I)and takes away the discernment of the elders.
21 He (J)pours contempt on princes
    and loosens the belt of the strong.
22 He (K)uncovers the deeps out of darkness
    and brings (L)deep darkness to light.
23 He (M)makes nations great, and he destroys them;
    he enlarges nations, and (N)leads them away.
24 He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth
    and (O)makes them wander in a trackless waste.
25 They (P)grope in the dark without light,
    and he makes them (Q)stagger like a drunken man.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 12:13 Hebrew him