12:1 Then Job answered and said,

12:2 Doubtless, you are the people,¹
and wisdom will die with you.²
12:3 I also have understanding³ as well as you,
I am not inferior to you.⁴
Who does not know such things as these?⁵
12:4 I am⁶ a laughingstock⁷ to his friend,⁸
I, who called upon God and whom he answered,⁹
—a righteous and blameless man
is a laughingstock!¹⁰
12:5 For calamity,¹¹ there is derision
(according to the ideas of the fortunate¹²)—
a fate¹³ for those whose feet slip!
12:6 But¹⁴ the tents of robbers are peaceful,
and those who provoke God are confident¹⁵—
who carry their god in their hands.¹⁶

12:7 But now, ask the animals and they¹⁷ will teach you,
or the birds of the air and they will tell you;
12:8 or speak¹⁸ to the earth¹⁹ and it will teach you,
or let the fish of the sea declare to you.
12:9 Which of all these²⁰ does not know
that the hand of the LORD²¹ has done²² this,²³
12:10 In whose hand²⁴ is the life²⁵ of every creature
and the breath of all mankind.²⁶
12:11 Does not the ear test words,
as²⁷ the tongue²⁸ tastes food?²⁹
12:12 Is not wisdom found among the aged,³⁰
does not life bring understanding?
12:13 With God³¹ are wisdom and power,
counsel and understanding are his;³²
12:14 If³³ he tears down, it cannot be rebuilt,
if he shuts a man in, it cannot be opened;³⁴
12:15 If he holds back the waters, then they dry up,³⁵
if he releases them,³⁶ they destroy³⁷ the land.
12:16 With him are strength and prudence;³⁸
both the one who goes astray³⁹
and the one who misleads him are his;
12:17 he⁴⁰ leads⁴¹ counsellors away stripped,⁴²
and makes fools⁴³ of judges;⁴⁴
12:18 he loosens⁴⁵ the bonds⁴⁶ of kings,
and binds a loincloth⁴⁷ around their waist;
12:19 he leads priests away stripped,
and overthrows⁴⁸ the potentates;⁴⁹
12:20 he deprives of speech⁵⁰ the trusted advisors,⁵¹
and takes away the discernment⁵² of elders;
12:21 he pours contempt on noblemen,
and disarms⁵³ the mighty;⁵⁴
12:22 he reveals the deep things of darkness,
and brings deep shadows⁵⁵ into the light;⁵⁶
12:23 he makes nations great,⁵⁷ and destroys them;
he extends the boundaries of nations,
and disperses⁵⁸ them;⁵⁹
12:24 he deprives the leaders of the earth⁶⁰
of their understanding;⁶¹
he makes them wander
in a trackless desert waste;⁶²
12:25 they grope about in darkness⁶³ without light;
he makes them stagger⁶⁴ like drunkards.