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Job 12

Then Job answered: "No doubt you lot are the people, and wisdom will die with you. But I've got understanding too. I'm not beneath you. Who doesn't know things like these? I've become a laughingstock to my neighbour — me, a man who called on God and he answered. The just and upright man is laughed to scorn.

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Wisdom will die with you

Then Job answered: "No doubt you lot are the people, and wisdom will die with you. But I've got understanding too. I'm not beneath you. Who doesn't know things like these? I've become a laughingstock to my neighbour — me, a man who called on God and he answered. The just and upright man is laughed to scorn. Someone at ease has contempt for another man's disaster; it's ready and waiting for those whose feet are slipping. The tents of robbers prosper, and those who provoke God are secure — those into whose hand God brings abundantly. Ask the beasts, and they will teach you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you. Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; the fish of the sea will explain it to you. Who among all these doesn't know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. Doesn't the ear test words just as the mouth tastes food? With the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days is understanding. With God are wisdom and strength; he has counsel and understanding. What he breaks down cannot be rebuilt. The man he shuts in cannot be released. He holds back the waters and they dry up; he sends them out and they overturn the earth. With him are strength and wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leads counsellors away spoiled and makes judges fools. He loosens the bonds of kings and ties a belt around their waists. He leads princes away spoiled and overthrows the mighty. He removes the speech of the trusty and takes away the understanding of the aged. He pours contempt upon princes and weakens the strength of the mighty. He uncovers deep things out of darkness and brings the shadow of death into the light. He makes nations great and destroys them; he enlarges nations and straitens them again. He takes away the heart of the chiefs of the people of the earth and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them stagger like a drunken man."

And Job answered: No doubt you're the people, and wisdom will die with you. But I've got understanding as well as you. I'm not lower than you. Yes, who doesn't know things like these? I'm like one made a joke of by his neighbour, who calls on God and he answers him. The whole and righteous man is laughed at. The one at ease in his thoughts has contempt for the one about to slip, ready for the ones whose feet slip. The tents of robbers do well, and the ones who make God angry are safe — the ones who carry their god in their hand. But ask the animals now, and they'll teach you. And the birds of the sky, and they'll tell you. Or speak to the earth, and it'll teach you. And the fish of the sea will make it known to you. Who doesn't know among all these that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. Doesn't the ear test words, the way the mouth tastes its food? Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days. With him is wisdom and strength. He's got counsel and understanding. Look — he pulls down, and it can't be built again. He shuts a man up, and there's no opening. Look — he holds back the waters and they dry up. He sends them out too, and they overturn the earth. With him is strength and wisdom. The one who's taken in and the one who takes in are his. He leads counsellors away stripped, and makes the judges fools. He loosens the belt of kings and ties a loincloth round their waists. He leads leaders away stripped, and overturns the mighty. He takes away the speech of the trusted and takes away the understanding of the aged. He pours contempt on leaders and weakens the strength of the mighty. He uncovers deep things out of darkness and brings the shadow of death out to light. He makes nations great and wrecks them. He spreads the nations out and brings them in again. He takes away the heart of the heads of the people of the earth, and makes them wander in a wilderness where there's no way. They feel about in the dark with no light, and he makes them stagger like a drunk man.

And Job answered and said, No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you. But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these? I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn. He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease. The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly. But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat? With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools. He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle. He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty. He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death. He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again. 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. They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

1

Then Job answered:

Plain English

And Job answered:

King James Version, 1611

And Job answered and said,

2

"No doubt you lot are the people, and wisdom will die with you.

Plain English

No doubt you're the people, and wisdom will die with you.

King James Version, 1611

No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

3

But I've got understanding too. I'm not beneath you. Who doesn't know things like these?

Plain English

But I've got understanding as well as you. I'm not lower than you. Yes, who doesn't know things like these?

King James Version, 1611

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?

4

I've become a laughingstock to my neighbour — me, a man who called on God and he answered. The just and upright man is laughed to scorn.

Plain English

I'm like one made a joke of by his neighbour, who calls on God and he answers him. The whole and righteous man is laughed at.

King James Version, 1611

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

Someone at ease has contempt for another man's disaster; it's ready and waiting for those whose feet are slipping.

Plain English

The one at ease in his thoughts has contempt for the one about to slip, ready for the ones whose feet slip.

King James Version, 1611

He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

6

The tents of robbers prosper, and those who provoke God are secure — those into whose hand God brings abundantly.

Plain English

The tents of robbers do well, and the ones who make God angry are safe — the ones who carry their god in their hand.

King James Version, 1611

The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

7

Ask the beasts, and they will teach you; ask the birds of the air, and they will tell you.

Plain English

But ask the animals now, and they'll teach you. And the birds of the sky, and they'll tell you.

King James Version, 1611

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

8

Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; the fish of the sea will explain it to you.

Plain English

Or speak to the earth, and it'll teach you. And the fish of the sea will make it known to you.

King James Version, 1611

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

9

Who among all these doesn't know that the hand of the LORD has done this?

Plain English

Who doesn't know among all these that the hand of the Lord has done this?

King James Version, 1611

Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

10

In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.

Plain English

In his hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

King James Version, 1611

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

11

Doesn't the ear test words just as the mouth tastes food?

Plain English

Doesn't the ear test words, the way the mouth tastes its food?

King James Version, 1611

Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

12

With the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days is understanding.

Plain English

Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days.

King James Version, 1611

With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

13

With God are wisdom and strength; he has counsel and understanding.

Plain English

With him is wisdom and strength. He's got counsel and understanding.

King James Version, 1611

With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

14

What he breaks down cannot be rebuilt. The man he shuts in cannot be released.

Plain English

Look — he pulls down, and it can't be built again. He shuts a man up, and there's no opening.

King James Version, 1611

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 they dry up; he sends them out and they overturn the earth.

Plain English

Look — he holds back the waters and they dry up. He sends them out too, and they overturn the earth.

King James Version, 1611

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 wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are his.

Plain English

With him is strength and wisdom. The one who's taken in and the one who takes in are his.

King James Version, 1611

With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

17

He leads counsellors away spoiled and makes judges fools.

Plain English

He leads counsellors away stripped, and makes the judges fools.

King James Version, 1611

He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.

18

He loosens the bonds of kings and ties a belt around their waists.

Plain English

He loosens the belt of kings and ties a loincloth round their waists.

King James Version, 1611

He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

19

He leads princes away spoiled and overthrows the mighty.

Plain English

He leads leaders away stripped, and overturns the mighty.

King James Version, 1611

He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

20

He removes the speech of the trusty and takes away the understanding of the aged.

Plain English

He takes away the speech of the trusted and takes away the understanding of the aged.

King James Version, 1611

He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.

21

He pours contempt upon princes and weakens the strength of the mighty.

Plain English

He pours contempt on leaders and weakens the strength of the mighty.

King James Version, 1611

He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.

22

He uncovers deep things out of darkness and brings the shadow of death into the light.

Plain English

He uncovers deep things out of darkness and brings the shadow of death out to light.

King James Version, 1611

He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

23

He makes nations great and destroys them; he enlarges nations and straitens them again.

Plain English

He makes nations great and wrecks them. He spreads the nations out and brings them in again.

King James Version, 1611

He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

24

He takes away the heart of the chiefs of the people of the earth and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

Plain English

He takes away the heart of the heads of the people of the earth, and makes them wander in a wilderness where there's no way.

King James Version, 1611

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

They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them stagger like a drunken man."

Plain English

They feel about in the dark with no light, and he makes them stagger like a drunk man.

King James Version, 1611

They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.