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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 is wisdom and might.
    He has counsel and understanding.
14 Behold, he breaks down, and it can’t be built again.
    He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.
15 Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up.
    Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.
16 With him is strength and wisdom.
    The deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 He leads counselors away stripped.
    He makes judges fools.
18 He loosens the bond of kings.
    He binds their waist with a belt.
19 He leads priests away stripped,
    and overthrows the mighty.
20 He removes the speech of those who are trusted,
    and takes away the understanding of the elders.
21 He pours contempt on princes,
    and loosens the belt of the strong.
22 He uncovers deep things out of darkness,
    and brings out to light the shadow of death.
23 He increases the nations, and he destroys them.
    He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.
24 He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth,
    and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
25 They grope in the dark without light.
    He makes them stagger like a drunken man.

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