Job 12
12
Job Replies: I Am a Laughingstock
1Then Job answered:
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.
Who does not know such things as these?
4I am a laughingstock to my friends;
I, who called upon God and he answered me,
a just and blameless man, I am a laughingstock.
5Those at ease have contempt for misfortune,#12.5 Meaning of Heb uncertain
but it is ready for those whose feet are unstable.
6The tents of robbers are at peace,
and those who provoke God are secure,
who bring their god in their hands.#12.6 Or whom God brought forth by his hand; Meaning of Heb uncertain
7“But ask the animals, and they will teach you;
the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
8ask the plants of the earth,#12.8 Or speak to the earth and they will teach you;
and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
9Who among all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?
10In his hand is the life of every living thing
and the breath of every human being.
11Does not the ear test words
as the palate tastes food?
12Is wisdom with the aged,
and understanding in length of days?
13“With God#12.13 Heb him are wisdom and strength;
he has counsel and understanding.
14If he tears down, no one can rebuild;
if he shuts someone in, no one can open up.
15If he withholds the waters, they dry up;
if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.
16With him are strength and wisdom;
the deceived and the deceiver are his.
17He leads counselors away stripped,
and makes fools of judges.
18He looses the sash of kings,
and binds a waistcloth on their loins.
19He leads priests away stripped,
and overthrows the mighty.
20He deprives of speech those who are trusted,
and takes away the discernment of the elders.
21He pours contempt on princes,
and looses the belt of the strong.
22He uncovers the deeps out of darkness,
and brings deep darkness to light.
23He makes nations great, then destroys them;
he enlarges nations, then leads them away.
24He strips understanding from the leaders#12.24 Heb adds of the people of the earth,
and makes them wander in a pathless waste.
25They grope in the dark without light;
he makes them stagger like a drunkard.
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Job 12: NRSV-CI
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New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Job 12
12
Job's Reply
1And Job answered and said,
2No doubt but ye are the people,
And wisdom shall die with you.
3But I have understanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you:
Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
4I am as one mocked of his neighbour,
Who calleth upon God, and he answereth him:
The just upright man is laughed to scorn.
5He that is ready to slip with his feet
Is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
6The tabernacles of robbers prosper,
And they that provoke God are secure;
Into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
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 shall teach thee:
And the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
9Who knoweth not in all these
That the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
10In whose hand is the soul of every living thing,
And the breath of all mankind.
11Doth not the ear try words?
And the mouth taste his meat?
12With the ancient is wisdom;
And in length of days understanding.
13With him is wisdom and strength,
He hath counsel and understanding.
14Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again:
He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
15Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up:
Also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
16With him is strength and wisdom:
The deceived and the deceiver are his.
17He leadeth counsellors away spoiled,
And maketh the judges fools.
18He looseth the bond of kings,
And girdeth their loins with a girdle.
19He leadeth princes away spoiled,
And overthroweth the mighty.
20He removeth away the speech of the trusty,
And taketh away the understanding of the aged.
21He poureth contempt upon princes,
And weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
22He discovereth deep things out of darkness,
And bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
23He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them:
He enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.
24He 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.
25They grope in the dark without light,
And he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
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