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 understanding12-1 as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who12-3 knoweth not such things as these?12-2
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 soul12-4 of every living thing, and the breath of all12-5 mankind.
11.Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth12-6 taste his meat?
12.With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
13.With12-7 him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
14.Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up12-8 a man, and there can be no opening.
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 counsellers 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 speech12-9 of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
21.He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth12-10 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 straiteneth12-11 them again.
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 stagger12-12 like a drunken man.

Notes

12-1.
understanding Heb. an heart
12-2.
I am... Heb. I fall not lower than you
12-3.
who... Heb. with whom are not such as these?
12-4.
soul or, life
12-5.
all... Heb. all flesh of man
12-6.
mouth Heb. palate
12-7.
With... that is, With God
12-8.
up Heb. upon
12-9.
speech... Heb. lip of the faithful
12-10.
weakeneth... or, looseth the girdle of the strong
12-11.
straiteneth Heb. leadeth in
12-12.
stagger Heb. wander