1 A nd Job answereth and saith: --

2 T ruly -- ye the people, And with you doth wisdom die.

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

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

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

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

7 A nd 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 talk to the earth, and it sheweth thee, And fishes of the sea recount to thee:

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

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

11 D oth not the ear try words? And the palate taste food for itself?

12 W ith the very aged wisdom, And length of days understanding.

13 W ith Him wisdom and might, To him counsel and understanding.

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

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

16 W ith Him strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.

17 C ausing counsellors to go away a spoil, And judges He maketh foolish.

18 T he bands of kings He hath opened, And He bindeth a girdle on their loins.

19 C ausing ministers to go away a spoil And strong ones He overthroweth.

20 T urning aside the lip of the stedfast, And the reason of the aged He taketh away.

21 P ouring contempt upon princes, And the girdle of the mighty He made feeble.

22 R emoving deep things out of darkness, And He bringeth out to light death-shade.

23 M agnifying the nations, and He destroyeth them, Spreading out the nations, and He quieteth them.

24 T urning 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 darkness, and not light, He causeth them to wander as a drunkard.