Chapter 12

And Job answered and said,

Truly ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you!

I also have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you; and who knoweth not such things as these?

I am to be one that is a derision to his friend, I who call upon +God, and whom he will answer: a derision is the just upright [man].

He that is ready to stumble with the foot is a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

The tents of desolators are in peace, and they that provoke ùGod are secure; into whose hand +God bringeth.

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowl of the heavens, and they shall tell thee;

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

Who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this?

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the spirit of all flesh of man.

Doth not the ear try words, as the palate tasteth food?

With the aged is wisdom, and in length of days understanding.

With him is wisdom and might; he hath counsel and understanding.

Behold, he breaketh down, and it is not built again; he shutteth up a man, and there is no opening.

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

With him is strength and effectual knowledge; the deceived and the deceiver are his.

He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and judges maketh he fools;

He weakeneth the government of kings, and bindeth their loins with a fetter;

He leadeth priests away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty;

He depriveth of speech the trusty, and taketh away the judgment of the elders;

He poureth contempt upon nobles, and slackeneth the girdle of the mighty;

He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out into light the shadow of death;

He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them; he spreadeth out the nations, and bringeth them in;

He taketh away the understanding of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a pathless waste.

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