12

Job

 1Then Job replied:
  2“Doubtless you are the only people who matter,
   and wisdom will die with you!
  3But I have a mind as well as you;
   I am not inferior to you.
   Who does not know all these things?

  4“I have become a laughingstock to my friends,
   though I called on God and he answered—
   a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless!
  5Those who are at ease have contempt for misfortune
   as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
  6The tents of marauders are undisturbed,
   and those who provoke God are secure—
   those God has in his hand.⚓

   7“But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
   or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
  8or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
   or let the fish in the sea inform you.
  9Which of all these does not know
   that the hand of the Lord has done this?
  10In his hand is the life of every creature
   and the breath of all mankind.
  11Does not the ear test words
   as the tongue tastes food?
  12Is not wisdom found among the aged?
   Does not long life bring understanding?

  13“To God belong wisdom and power;
   counsel and understanding are his.
  14What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;
   those he imprisons cannot be released.
  15If he holds back the waters, there is drought;
   if he lets them loose, they devastate the land.
  16To him belong strength and insight;
   both deceived and deceiver are his.
  17He leads rulers away stripped
   and makes fools of judges.
  18He takes off the shackles put on by kings
   and ties a loincloth⚓ around their waist.
  19He leads priests away stripped
   and overthrows officials long established.
  20He silences the lips of trusted advisers
   and takes away the discernment of elders.
  21He pours contempt on nobles
   and disarms the mighty.
  22He reveals the deep things of darkness
   and brings utter darkness into the light.
  23He makes nations great, and destroys them;
   he enlarges nations, and disperses them.
  24He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason;
   he makes them wander in a trackless waste.
  25They grope in darkness with no light;
   he makes them stagger like drunkards.

12

Job Answers His Critics

 1Then Job answered and said:
   2“No doubt you are the people,
   And wisdom will die with you!
    3But I have understanding as well as you;
   I am not ⚓inferior to you.
   Indeed, who does not know such things as these?
   4“I⚓ am one mocked by his friends,
   Who ⚓called on God, and He answered him,
   The just and blameless who is ridiculed.
    5A lamp is despised in the thought of one who is at ease;
   It is made ready for ⚓those whose feet slip.
    6⚓The tents of robbers prosper,
   And those who provoke God are secure—
   In what God provides by His hand.
   7“But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
   And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
    8Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;
   And the fish of the sea will explain to you.
    9Who among all these does not know
   That the hand of the Lord has done this,
    10⚓In whose hand is the life of every living thing,
   And the ⚓breath of all mankind?
    11Does not the ear test words
   And the mouth taste its food?
    12Wisdom is with aged men,
   And with length of days, understanding.
   13“With Him are⚓wisdom and strength,
   He has counsel and understanding.
    14If ⚓He breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt;
   If He imprisons a man, there can be no release.
    15If He ⚓withholds the waters, they dry up;
   If He ⚓sends them out, they overwhelm the earth.
    16With Him are strength and prudence.
   The deceived and the deceiver are His.
    17He leads counselors away plundered,
   And makes fools of the judges.
    18He loosens the bonds of kings,
   And binds their waist with a belt.
    19He leads princes away plundered,
   And overthrows the mighty.
    20⚓He deprives the trusted ones of speech,
   And takes away the discernment of the elders.
    21⚓He pours contempt on princes,
   And disarms the mighty.
    22He ⚓uncovers deep things out of darkness,
   And brings the shadow of death to light.
    23⚓He makes nations great, and destroys them;
   He enlarges nations, and guides them.
    24He takes away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth,
   And ⚓makes them wander in a pathless wilderness.
    25⚓They grope in the dark without light,
   And He makes them ⚓stagger like a drunken man.