Job’s Reply to Zophar
Job 12
1 Then Job answered:
2 No doubt you are the people,
and wisdom will die with you!
3 But I also have a mind like you;
I am not inferior to you.
Who doesn’t know the things you are talking about? H,z
4 I am a laughingstock to my I friends,
by calling on God, who answers me. J
The righteous and upright man is a laughingstock. a
5 The one who is at ease b holds calamity in contempt
and thinks it is prepared for those whose feet are slipping.
6 The tents of robbers are safe, c
and those who trouble God are secure;
God holds them in his hands. K,d
7 But ask the animals, and they will instruct you;
ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you. e
8 Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct you;
let the fish of the sea inform you.
9 Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the LORD has done this? f
10 The life of every living thing is in his hand,
as well as the breath of all mankind. g
as the palate tastes food?
12 Wisdom is found with the elderly,
and understanding comes with long life. h
13 Wisdom and strength belong to God;
counsel and understanding are his. i
14 Whatever he tears down cannot be rebuilt;
whoever he imprisons cannot be released. j
15 When he withholds water, everything dries up,
and when he releases it, it destroys the land. k
16 True wisdom and power belong to him.
The deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 He leads counselors away barefoot
and makes judges go mad. l
18 He releases the bonds L put on by kings m
and fastens a belt around their waists.
19 He leads priests away barefoot
and overthrows established leaders. n
20 He deprives trusted advisers of speech
and takes away the elders’ good judgment.
21 He pours out contempt on nobles
and disarms M the strong.
22 He reveals mysteries from the darkness
and brings the deepest darkness into the light. o
23 He makes nations great, then destroys them;
he enlarges nations, p then leads them away.
24 He deprives the world’s leaders of reason,
and makes them wander in a trackless wasteland. q
25 They grope around in darkness without light;
he makes them stagger like a drunkard. r