1 T hen Job answered,

And Job answereth and saith: --

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

Truly -- ye the people, And with you doth wisdom 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?

I also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like 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.

A laughter to his friend I am: `He calleth to God, and He answereth him,' A laughter the perfect righteous one.

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

A torch -- despised in the thoughts of the secure Is prepared for those sliding with the feet.

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.

At peace are the tents of spoilers, And those provoking God have confidence, He into whose hand God hath brought.

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

And yet, ask, I pray thee, the beasts, and it doth shew thee, And a fowl of the heavens, And it doth declare to thee.

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

Or talk to the earth, and it sheweth thee, And fishes of the sea recount to thee:

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

`Who hath not known in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath done this?

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

In whose hand the breath of every living thing, And the spirit of all flesh of man.'

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

Doth not the ear try words? And the palate taste food for itself?

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

With the very aged wisdom, And length of days understanding.

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

With Him wisdom and might, To him 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.

Lo, He breaketh down, and it is not built up, He shutteth against a man, And it is not opened.

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

Lo, He keepeth in the waters, and they are dried up, And he sendeth them forth, And they overturn the land.

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

With Him strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.

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

Causing counsellors to go away a spoil, And judges He maketh foolish.

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

The bands of kings He hath opened, And He bindeth a girdle on their loins.

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

Causing ministers to go away a spoil And strong ones He overthroweth.

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

Turning aside the lip of the stedfast, And the reason of the aged He taketh away.

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

Pouring contempt upon princes, And the girdle of the mighty He made feeble.

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

Removing deep things out of darkness, And He bringeth out to light death-shade.

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

Magnifying the nations, and He destroyeth them, Spreading out the nations, and He quieteth them.

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.

Turning aside the heart Of the heads of the people of the land, And he causeth them to wander In vacancy -- no way!

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 feel darkness, and not light, He causeth them to wander as a drunkard.