Job 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 Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?

⁶ Is not the rejoicing of the wicked short? and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?

⁷ Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach you; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell you:

⁸ Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto you.

⁹ Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of Yahweh 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 God 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: and sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

¹⁶ With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and 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 elders.

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 understanding 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.