Job 12

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 Then Job replied and said:	1 And Job answered and said,
2 No doubt you are the intelligent folk, and with you wisdom shall die!	2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
3 But I have intelligence as well as you; for who does not know such things as these?	3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
4 I have become the sport of my neighbors: "The one whom God answers when he calls upon him, The just, the perfect man," is a laughing-stock;	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 The undisturbed esteem my downfall a disgrace such as awaits unsteady feet;	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 Yet the tents of robbers are prosperous, and those who provoke God are secure.	6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
7 But now ask the beasts to teach you, and the birds of the air to tell you;	7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:
8 Or the reptiles on earth to instruct you, and the fish of the sea to inform you.	8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of God has done this?	9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
10 In his hand is the soul of every living thing, and the life breath of all mankind.	10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
11 Does not the ear judge words as the mouth tastes food?	11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
12 So with old age is wisdom, and with length of days understanding.	12 With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
13 With him are wisdom and might; his are counsel and understanding.	13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
14 If he breaks a thing down, there is no rebuilding; if he imprisons a man, there is no release.	14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
15 He holds back the waters and there is drought; he sends them forth and they overwhelm the land.	15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
16 With him are strength and prudence; the misled and the misleaders are his.	16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 He sends counselors away barefoot, and of judges he makes fools.	17 He leadeth counsellers away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
18 He loosens the bonds imposed by kings and leaves but a waistcloth to bind the king's own loins.	18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
19 and lets their never-failing waters flow away.	19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
20 He silences the trusted adviser, and takes discretion from the aged.	20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
21 He breaks down the barriers of the streams	21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
22 The recesses of the darkness he discloses, and brings the gloom forth to the light.	22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
23 He makes nations great and he destroys them; he spreads peoples abroad and he abandons them.	23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.
24 He takes understanding from the leaders of the land,	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 till they grope in the darkness without light; he makes them stagger like drunken men.	25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.