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? {understanding: Heb. an heart} {I am...: Heb. I fall not lower than you} {who...: Heb. with whom are not such 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. {soul: or, life} {all...: Heb. all flesh of man} 11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat? {mouth: Heb. palate} 12 With the ancient {is} wisdom; and in length of days understanding. 13 With him {is} wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. {With...: that is, With God} 14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. {up: Heb. upon} 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. {speech...: Heb. lip of the faithful} 21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. {weakeneth...: or, looseth the girdle of the strong} 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}. {straiteneth: Heb. leadeth in} 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}. {stagger: Heb. wander}