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.

¹ And Job made answer and said,

^{2 Ref} No doubt you have knowledge, and wisdom will come to an end with you.

^{3 Ref} But I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of such things as these?

^{4 Ref} It seems that I am to be as one who is a cause of laughing to his neighbour, one who makes his prayer to God and is answered! the upright man who has done no wrong is to be made sport of!

^{5 Ref} In the thought of him who is in comfort there is no respect for one who is in trouble; such is the fate of those whose feet are slipping.

^{6 Ref} There is wealth in the tents of those who make destruction, and those by whom God is moved to wrath are safe; even those whose god is their strength.

^{7 Ref} But put now a question to the beasts, and get teaching from them; or to the birds of the heaven, and they will make it clear to you;

⁸ Or to the things which go flat on the earth, and they will give you wisdom; and the fishes of the sea will give you news of it.

^{9 Ref} Who does not see by all these that the hand of the Lord has done this?

^{10 Ref} In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man.

^{11 Ref} Are not words tested by the ear, even as food is tasted by the mouth?

^{12 Ref} Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge.

^{13 Ref} With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge are his.

^{14 Ref} Truly, there is no building up of what is pulled down by him; when a man is shut up by him, no one may let him loose.

^{15 Ref} Truly, he keeps back the waters and they are dry; he sends them out and the earth is overturned.

^{16 Ref} With him are strength and wise designs; he who is guided into error, together with his guide, are in his hands;

^{17 Ref} He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;

^{18 Ref} He undoes the chains of kings, and puts his band on them;

^{19 Ref} He makes priests prisoners, overturning those in safe positions;

^{20 Ref} He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;

^{21 Ref} He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong;

^{22 Ref} Uncovering deep things out of the dark, and making the deep shade bright;

^{23 Ref} Increasing nations, and sending destruction on them; making wide the lands of peoples, and then giving them up.

^{24 Ref} He takes away the wisdom of the rulers of the earth, and sends them wandering in a waste where there is no way.

^{25 Ref} They go feeling about in the dark without light, wandering without help like those overcome with wine.

¹ And Job answereth and saith: --

^{2 Ref} Truly -- ye `are' the people, And with you doth wisdom die.

^{3 Ref} I also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like these?

^{4 Ref} A laughter to his friend I am: `He calleth to God, and He answereth him,' A laughter `is' the perfect righteous one.

^{5 Ref} A torch -- despised in the thoughts of the secure Is prepared for those sliding with the feet.

^{6 Ref} At peace are the tents of spoilers, And those provoking God have confidence, He into whose hand God hath brought.

^{7 Ref} And yet, ask, I pray thee, `One of' the beasts, and it doth shew thee, And a fowl of the heavens, And it doth declare to thee.

⁸ Or talk to the earth, and it sheweth thee, And fishes of the sea recount to thee:

^{9 Ref} `Who hath not known in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath done this?

^{10 Ref} In whose hand `is' the breath of every living thing, And the spirit of all flesh of man.'

^{11 Ref} Doth not the ear try words? And the palate taste food for itself?

^{12 Ref} With the very aged `is' wisdom, And `with' length of days understanding.

^{13 Ref} With Him `are' wisdom and might, To him `are' counsel and understanding.

^{14 Ref} Lo, He breaketh down, and it is not built up, He shutteth against a man, And it is not opened.

^{15 Ref} Lo, He keepeth in the waters, and they are dried up, And he sendeth them forth, And they overturn the land.

^{16 Ref} With Him `are' strength and wisdom, His the deceived and deceiver.

^{17 Ref} Causing counsellors to go away a spoil, And judges He maketh foolish.

^{18 Ref} The bands of kings He hath opened, And He bindeth a girdle on their loins.

^{19 Ref} Causing ministers to go away a spoil And strong ones He overthroweth.

^{20 Ref} Turning aside the lip of the stedfast, And the reason of the aged He taketh away.

^{21 Ref} Pouring contempt upon princes, And the girdle of the mighty He made feeble.

^{22 Ref} Removing deep things out of darkness, And He bringeth out to light death-shade.

^{23 Ref} Magnifying the nations, and He destroyeth them, Spreading out the nations, and He quieteth them.

^{24 Ref} Turning aside the heart Of the heads of the people of the land, And he causeth them to wander In vacancy -- no way!

^{25 Ref} They feel darkness, and not light, He causeth them to wander as a drunkard.