Job Chapter 12

• 1 And Job answered and said,
• 2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
• 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 am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
• 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 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
• 7 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 shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
• 9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?
• 10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
• 11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
• 12 With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
• 13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
• 14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
• 15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
• 16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
• 17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
• 18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
• 19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
• 20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
• 21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
• 22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
• 23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.
• 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 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.