| Chapter 12 |
1 | And Job answered and said, |
2 | No doubt but ye [are] the people, and wisdom shall die with you. |
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 [as] one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright [man is] laughed to scorn. |
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 tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth [abundantly]. |
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 shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. |
9 | Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? |
10 | In whose hand [is] the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. |
11 | Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat? |
12 | With the ancient [is] wisdom; and in length of days understanding. |
13 | With him [is] wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. |
14 | Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. |
15 | Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. |
16 | With him [is] strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver [are] his. |
17 | He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools. |
18 | He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle. |
19 | He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. |
20 | He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. |
21 | He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. |
22 | He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death. |
23 | He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them [again]. |
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 dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like [a] drunken [man]. |