Chapter 12

  And Job made answer and said,  

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  No doubt you have knowledge, and wisdom will come to an end with you.  

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

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  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!  

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  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.  

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  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.  

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  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;  

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  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.  

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  Who does not see by all these that the hand of the Lord has done this?  

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  In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man.  

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  Are not words tested by the ear, even as food is tasted by the mouth?  

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  Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge.  

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  With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge are his.  

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  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.  

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  Truly, he keeps back the waters and they are dry; he sends them out and the earth is overturned.  

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

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  He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;  

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  He undoes the chains of kings, and puts his band on them;  

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  He makes priests prisoners, overturning those in safe positions;  

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  He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;  

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  He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong;  

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  Uncovering deep things out of the dark, and making the deep shade bright;  

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  Increasing nations, and sending destruction on them; making wide the lands of peoples, and then giving them up.  

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

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  They go feeling about in the dark without light, wandering without help like those overcome with wine.  

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