Job 12
Job’s Reply to Zophar
1Then Job answered:23No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!4
5But I also have a mind like you; I am not inferior to you. Who doesn’t know the things you are talking about?6
7I am a laughingstock to my friends, by calling on God, who answers me. The righteous and blameless man is a laughingstock.8
9The one who is at ease holds calamity in contempt and thinks it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping.10
11The tents of robbers are safe, and those who trouble God are secure; God holds them in his hands.12
13But ask the animals, and they will instruct you; ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.14
15Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you; let the fish of the sea inform you.16
17Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?18
19The life of every living thing is in his hand, as well as the breath of all humanity.20
21Doesn’t the ear test words as the palate tastes food?22
23Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.24
25Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are his.26
27Whatever he tears down cannot be rebuilt; whoever he imprisons cannot be released.28
29When he withholds water, everything dries up, and when he releases it, it destroys the land.30
31True wisdom and power belong to him. The deceived and the deceiver are his.32
33He leads counselors away barefoot and makes judges go mad.34
35He releases the bonds put on by kings and fastens a belt around their waists.36
37He leads priests away barefoot and overthrows established leaders.38
39He deprives trusted advisers of speech and takes away the elders’ good judgment.40
41He pours out contempt on nobles and disarms the strong.42
43He reveals mysteries from the darkness and brings the deepest darkness into the light.44
45He makes nations great, then destroys them; he enlarges nations, then leads them away.46
47He deprives the world’s leaders of reason, and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland.48
49They grope around in darkness without light; he makes them stagger like a drunkard.50