Job 12

1 And Job answers and says:

Then Job answered,

2 “Truly—you [are] the people, and wisdom dies with you.

"No doubt, but you are the people, and wisdom shall 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. Yes, who doesn't know such things as these?

4 I am a laughter to his friend: He calls to God, and He answers him, A laughter [is] the perfect righteous one.

I am like one who is a joke to his neighbor, I, who called on God, and he answered. The just, the blameless man is a joke.

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

In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune. It is ready for them whose foot slips.

6 The tents of spoilers are at peace, And those provoking God have confidence, Into whose hand God has brought.

The tents of robbers prosper. Those who provoke God are secure, who carry their god in their hands.

7 And yet, now ask [one of] the beasts, And it shows you, And a bird of the heavens, And it declares to you.

"But ask the animals, now, and they shall teach you; the birds of the sky, and they shall tell you.

8 Or talk to the earth, and it shows you, And fishes of the sea recount to you:

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you. The fish of the sea shall declare to you.

9 Who has not known in all these, That the hand of YHWH has done this?

Who doesn't know that in all these, the hand of YHWH has done this,

10 In whose hand [is] 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 humankind?

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

Doesn't the ear try words, even as the palate tastes its food?

12 With the very aged [is] wisdom, And [with] length of days [is] understanding.

With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding.

13 With Him [are] wisdom and might, To Him [are] counsel and understanding.

"With him is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.

14 Behold, He breaks down, and it is not built up, He shuts against a man, And it is not opened.

Look, he breaks down, and it can't be built again. He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

15 Behold, He keeps in the waters, and they are dried up, And He sends them forth, And they overturn the land.

Look, he withholds the waters, and they dry up. Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.

16 With Him [are] strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.

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

17 Causing counselors to go away [as] a spoil, Indeed, He makes fools of judges.

He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.

18 He has opened the bands of kings, And He binds a girdle on their loins.

He loosens the bond of kings. He binds their waist with a belt.

19 Causing ministers to go away [as] a spoil And strong ones He overthrows.

He leads priests away stripped, and overthrows the mighty.

20 Turning aside the lip of the steadfast, And the reason of the aged He takes away.

He removes the speech of those who are trusted, and takes away the understanding of the elders.

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

He pours contempt on princes, and loosens the belt of the strong.

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

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

23 Magnifying the nations, and He destroys them, Spreading out the nations, and He quiets them.

He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.

24 Turning aside the heart Of the heads of the people of the land, And He causes them to wander In vacancy—no way!

He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

25 They feel darkness, and not light, He causes them to wander as a drunkard.”

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