1 T hen Job answered,

Then Job responded,

2 “ No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you.

“Truly then you are the people, And with you wisdom will die!

3 B ut I have understanding as well as you. I am not less than you. Who does not know such things as these?

“But I have intelligence as well as you; I am not inferior to you. And 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.

“I am a joke to my friends, The one who called on God and He answered him; The just and blameless man is a joke.

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

“ He who is at ease holds calamity in contempt, As prepared for those whose feet slip.

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.

“The tents of the destroyers prosper, And those who provoke God are secure, Whom God brings into their power.

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

“But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; And 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.

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

9 W ho among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?

“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 men.

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

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

“Does not the ear test words, As the palate tastes its food?

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

“Wisdom is with aged men, With long life is understanding. Job Speaks of the Power of God

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

“With Him are wisdom and might; To Him belong counsel and understanding.

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

“Behold, He tears down, and it cannot be rebuilt; He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

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

“Behold, He restrains the waters, and they dry up; And He sends them out, and they inundate the earth.

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

“With Him are strength and sound wisdom, The misled and the misleader belong to Him.

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

“He makes counselors walk barefoot And makes fools of judges.

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

“He loosens the bond of kings And binds their loins with a girdle.

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

“He makes priests walk barefoot And overthrows the secure ones.

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

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

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

“He pours contempt on nobles And loosens the belt of the strong.

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

“He reveals mysteries from the darkness And brings the deep darkness into light.

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

“He makes the nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges the nations, 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.

“He deprives of intelligence the chiefs of the earth’s people And makes them wander in a pathless waste.

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

“They grope in darkness with no light, And He makes them stagger like a drunken man.