¹ Then Job answered and said,

^{2 Ref} No doubt but ye are the people, And wisdom shall die with you.

^{3 Ref} But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

^{4 Ref} I am as one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbor, I who called upon God, and he answered: The just, the perfect man is a laughing-stock.

^{5 Ref} In the thought of him that is at ease there is contempt for misfortune; It is ready for them whose foot slippeth.

^{6 Ref} The tents of robbers prosper, And they that provoke God are secure; Into whose hand God bringeth `abundantly'.

^{7 Ref} But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; And the birds of the heavens, 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 Ref} Who knoweth not in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath wrought this,

^{10 Ref} In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?

^{11 Ref} Doth not the ear try words, Even as the palate tasteth its food?

^{12 Ref} With aged men is wisdom, And in length of days understanding.

^{13 Ref} With `God' is wisdom and might; He hath counsel and understanding.

^{14 Ref} Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again; He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

^{15 Ref} Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; Again, he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

^{16 Ref} With him is strength and wisdom; The deceived and the deceiver are his.

^{17 Ref} He leadeth counsellors away stripped, And judges maketh he fools.

^{18 Ref} He looseth the bond of kings, And he bindeth their loins with a girdle.

^{19 Ref} He leadeth priests away stripped, And overthroweth the mighty.

^{20 Ref} He removeth the speech of the trusty, And taketh away the understanding of the elders.

^{21 Ref} He poureth contempt upon princes, And looseth the belt of the strong.

^{22 Ref} He uncovereth deep things out of darkness, And bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

^{23 Ref} He increaseth the nations, and he destroyeth them: He enlargeth the nations, and he leadeth them captive.

^{24 Ref} He taketh away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, And causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

^{25 Ref} They grope in the dark without light; And he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

¹ Then Job answered,

^{2 Ref} "No doubt, but you are the people, And wisdom shall die with you.

^{3 Ref} But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: Yes, who doesn't know such things as these?

^{4 Ref} I am like one who is a joke to his neighbor, I, who called on God, and he answered. The just, the blameless man is a joke.

^{5 Ref} In the thought of him who is at ease there is contempt for misfortune, It is ready for them whose foot slips.

^{6 Ref} The tents of robbers prosper, Those who provoke God are secure; Who carry their God in their hands.

^{7 Ref} "But ask the animals, now, and they shall teach you; The birds of the sky, and they shall tell you.

⁸ Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach you; The fish of the sea shall declare to you.

^{9 Ref} Who doesn't know that in all these, The hand of Yahweh has done this,

^{10 Ref} In whose hand is the life of every living thing, The breath of all mankind?

^{11 Ref} Doesn't the ear try words, Even as the palate tastes its food?

^{12 Ref} With aged men is wisdom, In length of days understanding.

^{13 Ref} "With God is wisdom and might. He has counsel and understanding.

^{14 Ref} Behold, he breaks down, and it can't be built again; He imprisons a man, and there can be no release.

^{15 Ref} Behold, he withholds the waters, and they dry up; Again, he sends them out, and they overturn the earth.

^{16 Ref} With him is strength and wisdom; The deceived and the deceiver are his.

^{17 Ref} He leads counselors away stripped. He makes judges fools.

^{18 Ref} He loosens the bond of kings, He binds their loins with a belt.

^{19 Ref} He leads priests away stripped, And overthrows the mighty.

^{20 Ref} He removes the speech of those who are trusted, And takes away the understanding of the elders.

^{21 Ref} He pours contempt on princes, And loosens the belt of the strong.

^{22 Ref} He uncovers deep things out of darkness, And brings out to light the shadow of death.

^{23 Ref} He increases the nations, and he destroys them. He enlarges the nations, and he leads them captive.

^{24 Ref} He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, And causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

^{25 Ref} They grope in the dark without light. He makes them stagger like a drunken man.