Job 12

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 And Job answered and said,	1 Job spoke next. He said:
2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.	2 Doubtless, you are the voice of the people, and when you die, wisdom wil 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?	3 But I have a brain, as well as you, I am in no way inferior to you, and who, in any case, does not know al that?
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.	4 Anyone becomes a laughing-stock to his friends if he cries to God and expects an answer. Peoplelaugh at anyone who has integrity and is upright.
5 He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.	5 'Add insult to injury,' think the prosperous, 'strike the fel ow now that he is staggering!'
6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.	6 And yet the tents of brigands are left in peace: those who provoke God dwel secure and so doesanyone who makes a god of his fist!
7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:	7 You have only to ask the cattle, for them to instruct you, and the birds of the sky, for them to informyou.
8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.	8 The creeping things of earth wil give you lessons, and the fish of the sea provide you an explanation:
9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?	9 there is not one such creature but wil know that the hand of God has arranged things like this!
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.	10 In his hand is the soul of every living thing and the breath of every human being!
11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?	11 Can the ear not distinguish the value of what is said, just as the palate can tel one food fromanother?
12 With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.	12 Wisdom is found in the old, and discretion comes with great age.
13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.	13 But in him there is wisdom, and power too, and good counsel no less than discretion.
14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.	14 What he destroys, no one can rebuild; whom he imprisons, no one can release.
15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.	15 Is there a drought? He has withheld the waters. Do they play havoc on earth? He has let them loose.
16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.	16 In him is strength, in him resourcefulness, beguiler and beguiled alike are his.
17 He leadeth counsellers away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.	17 He robs a country's counsel ors of their wits, turns judges into fools.
18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.	18 He undoes the belts of kings and knots a rope round their waists.
19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.	19 He makes priests walk barefoot, and overthrows the powers that are established.
20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.	20 He strikes the most assured of speakers dumb and robs old people of their discretion.
21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.	21 He pours contempt on the nobly born, and unbuckles the belt of the strong.
22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.	22 He unveils the depths of darkness, brings shadow dark as death to the light.
23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.	23 He builds nations up, then ruins them, he makes peoples expand, then suppresses them.
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.	24 He strips a country's leaders of their judgement, and leaves them to wander in a trackless waste,
25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.	25 to grope about in unlit darkness, lurching to and fro as though drunk.