1 T hen Job answered,

2 “ 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 less than you. Who does not know such things as these?

4 E ven my friends laugh at me. The man who called on God, and God answered him, the man who is right and without blame is laughed at.

5 H e who lives in comfort laughs at one who has trouble and whose feet are slipping.

6 T he tents of those who destroy have much. Those who make God angry are safe and have their god in their own hands.

7 “ But ask the wild animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you.

8 O r speak to the earth, and let it teach you. Let the fish of the sea make it known to you.

9 W ho 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 men.

11 D oes not the ear test words as the mouth tastes food?

12 W isdom is with old men, and understanding with long life.

13 “ With God are wisdom and strength. Wise words and understanding belong to Him.

14 S ee, He tears down, and it cannot be built again. He puts a man in prison, and no one can free him.

15 S ee, He stops the waters and they dry up. He sends them out, and they cover the earth.

16 S trength and wisdom are with Him. Both the fool and the one who fools him belong to God.

17 H e takes wisdom away from leaders and makes fools of judges.

18 H e takes off chains put on by kings, and holds back the power of kings.

19 H e makes religious leaders walk without pride, and takes the power away from those who think they are safe.

20 H e stops the trusted ones from speaking and takes away the wisdom of the leaders.

21 H e pours anger on rulers, and takes away the strength of the strong.

22 H e makes known hidden truth from the darkness, and brings deep darkness to light.

23 H e makes the nations great, and then destroys them. He helps nations to become large, then leads them away.

24 H e takes away understanding from the leaders of the people of the earth, and makes them travel in a waste-land with no path.

25 T hey feel their way in darkness with no light. And He makes them walk from side to side like a drunk man.