1 A nd Job answereth and saith: --

Then Job answered and said:

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

“No doubt you are the people, And wisdom will die with you!

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

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

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

“I am one mocked by his friends, Who called on God, and He answered him, The just and blameless who is ridiculed.

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

A lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease; It is made ready for those whose feet slip.

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

The tents of robbers prosper, And those who provoke God are secure— In what God provides by His hand.

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.

“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;

8 O r talk to the earth, and it sheweth thee, And fishes of the sea recount to thee:

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

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

Who among all these does not know That the hand of the Lord has done this,

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

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

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

Does not the ear test words And the mouth taste its food?

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

Wisdom is with aged men, And with length of days, understanding.

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

“With Him are wisdom and strength, He has 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.

If He breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt; If He imprisons a man, there can be no release.

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

If He withholds the waters, they dry up; If He sends them out, they overwhelm the earth.

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

With Him are strength and prudence. The deceived and the deceiver are His.

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

He leads counselors away plundered, And makes fools of the judges.

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

He loosens the bonds of kings, And binds their waist with a belt.

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

He leads princes away plundered, And overthrows the mighty.

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

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

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

He pours contempt on princes, And disarms the mighty.

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

He uncovers deep things out of darkness, And brings the shadow of death to light.

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

He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides 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!

He takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, And makes them wander in a pathless wilderness.

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

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