Job 12 ~ Job 12

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1 T hen Job answered and said,

Then Job answered,

2 N o doubt but ye are the people, And wisdom shall 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: Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

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

4 I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbor, I who called upon God, and he answered: The just, the perfect man is a laughing-stock.

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!

5 I n the thought of him that is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; It is ready for them whose foot slippeth.

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

6 T he tents of robbers prosper, And they that provoke God are secure; Into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

The dwellings of robbers prosper; those who provoke God are secure; God supplies them abundantly.

7 B ut ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; And the birds of the heavens, and they shall tell thee:

For ask now the animals, and they will teach you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you;

8 O r speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; And the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

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

9 W ho knoweth not in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this,

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

10 I n whose hand is the soul of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?

In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.

11 D oth not the ear try words, Even as the palate tasteth its food?

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

12 W ith aged men is wisdom, And in length of days understanding.

With the aged is wisdom, and with length of days comes understanding.

13 W ith God is wisdom and might; He hath counsel and understanding.

But with are wisdom and might; He has counsel and understanding.

14 B ehold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

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

15 B ehold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; Again, he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

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

16 W ith him is strength and wisdom; The deceived and the deceiver are his.

With Him are might and wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His.

17 H e leadeth counsellors away stripped, And judges maketh he fools.

He leads counselors away stripped and barefoot and makes the judges fools.

18 H e looseth the bond of kings, And he bindeth their loins with a girdle.

He looses the fetters by kings and has waistcloth bound about their loins.

19 H e leadeth priests away stripped, And overthroweth the mighty.

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

20 H e removeth the speech of the trusty, And taketh away the understanding of the elders.

He deprives of speech those who are trusted and takes away the discernment and discretion of the aged.

21 H e poureth contempt upon princes, And looseth the belt of the strong.

He pours contempt on princes and loosens the belt of the strong.

22 H e uncovereth deep things out of darkness, And bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

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

23 H e increaseth the nations, and he destroyeth them: He enlargeth the nations, and he leadeth them captive.

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

24 H e taketh away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, And causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

He 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.

25 T hey grope in the dark without light; And he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

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