Job 12

1And Job made answer and said,● 2No doubt you have knowledge, and wisdom will come to an end with you.● 3But I have a mind as well as you; I am equal to you: yes, who has not knowledge of such things as these?● 4It 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!● 5In 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.● 6There 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.● 7But 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;● 8Or 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.● 9Who does not see by all these that the hand of the Lord has done this?● 10In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all flesh of man.● 11Are not words tested by the ear, even as food is tasted by the mouth?● 12Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge.● 13With him there is wisdom and strength; power and knowledge are his.● 14Truly, 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.● 15Truly, he keeps back the waters and they are dry; he sends them out and the earth is overturned.● 16With him are strength and wise designs; he who is guided into error, together with his guide, are in his hands;● 17He takes away the wisdom of the wise guides, and makes judges foolish;● 18He undoes the chains of kings, and puts his band on them;● 19He makes priests prisoners, overturning those in safe positions;● 20He makes the words of responsible persons without effect, and takes away the good sense of the old;● 21He puts shame on chiefs, and takes away the power of the strong;● 22Uncovering deep things out of the dark, and making the deep shade bright;● 23Increasing nations, and sending destruction on them; making wide the lands of peoples, and then giving them up.● 24He takes away the wisdom of the rulers of the earth, and sends them wandering in a waste where there is no way.● 25They go feeling about in the dark without light, wandering without help like those overcome with wine.●