1 A nd Job answereth and saith: --

Then Job answered,

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 less than you. 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.

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

He who lives in comfort laughs at one who has trouble and whose feet are slipping.

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 those who destroy have much. Those who make God angry are safe and have their god in their own hands.

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 ask the wild animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the heavens, and let them 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 let it teach you. Let the fish of the sea make it known 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 His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all men.

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

Does not the ear test words as the mouth tastes food?

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

Wisdom is with old men, and understanding with long life.

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

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

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

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

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

See, He stops the waters and they dry up. He sends them out, and they cover the earth.

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

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

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

He takes wisdom away from leaders and makes fools of judges.

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

He takes off chains put on by kings, and holds back the power of kings.

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

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

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

He stops the trusted ones from speaking and takes away the wisdom of the leaders.

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

He pours anger on rulers, and takes away the strength of the strong.

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

He makes known hidden truth from the darkness, and brings deep darkness to light.

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

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

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

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