1 T hen Job answered,

Then Job answered and said:

2 N o doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!

“No doubt you are the people, And wisdom will die with you!

3 B ut I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these ?

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Indeed, who does not know such things as these?

4 I am become one who is a laughingstock to his friend; I, one whom God answered when he called upon Him—a just, upright (blameless) man—laughed to scorn!

“I am one mocked by his friends, Who called on God, and He answered him, The just and blameless who is ridiculed.

5 I n the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune—but it is ready for those whose feet slip.

A lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease; It is made ready for those whose feet slip.

6 T he dwellings of robbers prosper; those who provoke God are secure; God supplies them abundantly.

The tents of robbers prosper, And those who provoke God are secure— In what God provides by His hand.

7 F or ask now the animals, and they will teach you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you;

“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;

8 O r speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.

Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; And the fish of the sea will explain to you.

9 W ho not to recognize in all these that it is God’s hand which does it ?

Who among all these does not know That the hand of the Lord has done this,

10 I n His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.

In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?

11 I s it not the task of the ear to discriminate between words, just as the mouth distinguishes food?

Does not the ear test words And the mouth taste its food?

12 W ith the aged is wisdom, and with length of days comes understanding.

Wisdom is with aged men, And with length of days, understanding.

13 B ut with are wisdom and might; He has counsel and understanding.

“With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding.

14 B ehold, He tears down, and it cannot be built again; He shuts a man in, and none can open.

If He breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt; If He imprisons a man, there can be no release.

15 H e withholds the waters, and the land dries up; again, He sends forth, and they overwhelm the land or transform it.

If He withholds the waters, they dry up; If He sends them out, they overwhelm the earth.

16 W ith Him are might and wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His.

With Him are strength and prudence. The deceived and the deceiver are His.

17 H e leads counselors away stripped and barefoot and makes the judges fools.

He leads counselors away plundered, And makes fools of the judges.

18 H e looses the fetters by kings and has waistcloth bound about their loins.

He loosens the bonds of kings, And binds their waist with a belt.

19 H e leads away priests as spoil, and men firmly seated He overturns.

He leads princes away plundered, And overthrows the mighty.

20 H e deprives of speech those who are trusted and takes away the discernment and discretion of the aged.

He deprives the trusted ones of speech, And takes away the discernment of the elders.

21 H e pours contempt on princes and loosens the belt of the strong.

He pours contempt on princes, And disarms the mighty.

22 H e uncovers deep things out of darkness and brings into light black gloom and the shadow of death.

He uncovers deep things out of darkness, And brings the shadow of death to light.

23 H e makes nations great, and He destroys them; He enlarges nations, and leads them.

He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them.

24 H e takes away understanding from the leaders of the people of the land and of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no path.

He takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, And makes them wander in a pathless wilderness.

25 T hey grope in the dark without light, and He makes them to stagger and wander like a drunken man.

They grope in the dark without light, And He makes them stagger like a drunken man.