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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 “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)

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Footnotes

  1. 12.13 Heb him
  2. 12.24 Heb adds of the people