Job 12
Berean Standard BibleTranslation
Berean Standard Bible
JPS Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)
1Then Job answered:
1Then Job answered and said:
2“Truly then you are the people with whom wisdom itself will die!
2No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
3But I also have a mind; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?
3But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
4I am a laughingstock to my friends, though I called on God, and He answered. The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock.
4I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbour, a man that called upon God, and He answered him; the just, the innocent man is a laughing-stock,
5The one at ease scorns misfortune as the fate of those whose feet are slipping.
5A contemptible brand in the thought of him that is at ease, a thing ready for them whose foot slippeth.
6The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure— those who carry their god in their hands.
6The tents of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure, in whatsoever God bringeth into their hand.
7But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you.
7But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee;
8Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; let the fish of the sea inform you.
8Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee;
9Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?
9Who knoweth not among all these, that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
10The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.
10In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. —
11Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes its food?
11Doth not the ear try words, even as the palate tasteth its food?
12Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.
12Is wisdom with aged men, and understanding in length of days? —
13Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.
13With Him is wisdom and might; He hath counsel and understanding.
14What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.
14Behold, He breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
15If He holds back the waters, they dry up, and if He releases them, they overwhelm the land.
15Behold, He withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; also He sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
16True wisdom and power belong to Him. The deceived and the deceiver are His.
16With Him is strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His.
17He leads counselors away barefoot and makes fools of judges.
17He leadeth counsellors away stripped, and judges maketh He fools.
18He loosens the bonds placed by kings and fastens a belt around their waists.
18He looseth the bond of kings, and bindeth their loins with a girdle.
19He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows the established.
19He leadeth priests away stripped, and overthroweth the mighty.
20He deprives the trusted of speech and takes away the discernment of elders.
20He removeth the speech of men of trust, and taketh away the sense of the elders.
21He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the mighty.
21He poureth contempt upon princes, and looseth the belt of the strong.
22He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light.
22He uncovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
23He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them.
23He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; He enlargeth the nations, and leadeth them away.
24He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.
24He taketh away the heart of the chiefs of the people of the land, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
25They grope in the darkness without light; He makes them stagger like drunkards.
25They grope in the dark without light, and He maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
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