Job 12

1 Then Job answered:

1 And Job answered and said,

2 “Truly then you are the people with whom wisdom itself will die!

2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

3 But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?

3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

4 I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.

4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

5 The one at ease scorns misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.

5 He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

6 The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure—those who carry their god in their hands.

6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

7 But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you.

7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

8 Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.

8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?

9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

10 The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.

10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

11 Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes its food?

11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

12 Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.

12 With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

13 Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.

13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

14 What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.

14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

15 If He holds back the waters, they dry up, and if He releases them, they overwhelm the land.

15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

16 True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His.

16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

17 He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.

17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

18 He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists.

18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

19 He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established.

19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

20 He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.

20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.

21 He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.

21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

22 He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light.

22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

23 He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them.

23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

24 He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.

24 He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

25 They grope in the darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunkards.

25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.